Rebirth of the Hong Kong Millennium Conglomerate

I want to emphasize this point!

Regarding the way people address each other in Hong Kong, for example, Mr. Zhang and Mr. Li are addressed as Mr. Zhang and Mr. Li, but some readers may find it unfamiliar, so I will simply write "Mr."

The following is the main text—

In the study, Chen Mo stood tall and straight in front of the desk, respectfully reporting, "Mr. Zhang, the handover of Li's Bank has been completed."

Zhang Zeyang looked at Chen Mo and said, "Thank you for your hard work. Li's Bank will be officially renamed Qian Gu Bank from today. All branch signs and internal signage should be changed as soon as possible."

At this point, Zhang Zeyang added, "In addition, I will deposit all the cash I have into Qiangu Bank, as a way to give the bank some financial backing."

Upon hearing this, Chen Mo immediately replied, "Okay, I'll arrange the name change right away and make sure it's done as soon as possible."

After seeing Chen Mo off, Zhang Zeyang immediately withdrew all the funds from his spatial ring and deposited them into his Qian Gu Bank account the next day.

This funding replenished the cash flow of Qian Gu Bank.

However, as soon as the news of the bank's name change came out, the branches of the Chi Gu Bank in various parts of Hong Kong quickly fell into chaos.

Although Lee Bank is a small bank, it has been operating in Hong Kong for many years and has accumulated a large number of individual depositors.

The old signboard was suddenly changed to "Qian Gu Bank". The unfamiliar name made many retail investors uneasy. Rumors quickly spread throughout the streets and alleys. Some said that the original Li family bank was poorly managed and was acquired. Some even spread rumors that the bank was about to go bankrupt. Depositors were in a panic and rushed to various branches with their passbooks and deposit slips, clamoring to withdraw their money and close their accounts.

The Causeway Bay branch was the first to descend into chaos. The lobby was packed with depositors withdrawing money, and the noise was deafening. The tellers were working non-stop, and the lobby manager's voice was hoarse from shouting, but he couldn't stop the surging crowd. He could only hurriedly call Chen Mo to report the situation.

Upon receiving the news, Chen Mo didn't dare delay and immediately drove to the Repulse Bay villa. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he entered, and his voice was urgent: "Mr. Zhang, something terrible has happened! All the branches are packed with depositors withdrawing their money. Everyone's worried about the safety of their savings and wants to take it all. Should we ask the tellers to temporarily limit the withdrawal amount?"

Zhang Zeyang was sunbathing in the courtyard with Zhang Lingyun at the time. Upon hearing this, he remained calm and showed no panic: "No need to restrict them. Notify all branches that depositors can withdraw as much as they want. Be polite and do not argue with customers. If there is not enough cash, transfer it from the head office. Make sure to meet everyone's withdrawal needs."

Chen Mo paused, somewhat puzzled: "Mr. Zhang, if they all withdraw the money, won't the bank's cash flow be affected?"

"Since I dared to let them take it, I have the confidence to stand up for it."

"Retail investors don't have much money to begin with. If they all withdraw it, it will actually save us a lot of trouble. Those who leave are the ones who truly trust us, and it will be easier to manage them in the future. Just do as I say, and I'll take responsibility if anything goes wrong."

"Okay!" Chen Mo didn't dare to ask any more questions and immediately turned around to convey the instructions.

Following Zhang Zeyang's instructions, all branches of Qiangu Bank lifted restrictions on withdrawals, and tellers patiently served each depositor, quickly allocating cash for large withdrawals.

This straightforward attitude made some depositors hesitate, but most were swayed by the rumors and insisted on withdrawing all their savings.

In just three days, Qian Gu Bank lost most of its retail deposits, the long lines in front of the counters gradually disappeared, and the branches returned to quiet.

Ultimately, less than 20% of long-term depositors chose to stay with the bank. Some did so because the amount was too small to bother with, while others felt reassured by the bank's convenient withdrawal process.

When Chen Mo presented the report on the outflow of deposits again, his tone was somewhat complicated. Zhang Zeyang took the report, glanced at it, and casually put it aside, saying indifferently, "It was expected. There's nothing to say."

He looked up at Chen Mo and solemnly arranged the follow-up matters: "Notify the vice president of Qian Gu Bank to stabilize the bank's existing staff and maintain the bank's normal operation, but remember one thing: from today onwards, suspend all forms of loan business, whether for individuals or enterprises, and do not approve any of them."

In addition, he should lead the establishment of a debt collection team to gradually recover all outstanding bank loans. Even if it means offering some concessions, the funds must be recovered as quickly as possible. This matter needs to be handled promptly.

Suspending lending and collecting loans was not something Zhang Zeyang intended to do with the bank's profits; he only wanted to stabilize the situation and recover funds. Chen Mo immediately agreed and went to implement the plan.

As the turmoil at the bank gradually subsided, good news also came from Su Qing's side.

That afternoon, Su Qing, dressed in a smart white business suit and carrying a briefcase, walked into the Repulse Bay villa. Upon seeing Zhang Zeyang, she immediately stepped forward to report: "Mr. Zhang, the headhunting firm has found the necessary personnel as you requested: a CFO, an HR director, an administrative manager, and the president of the Hong Kong Daily. The information for all four candidates is here; their resumes are all excellent. The headhunting firm has also conducted a preliminary screening. When would be a convenient time to arrange an interview?"

As she spoke, Su Qing took out four resumes from her briefcase and handed them over with both hands.

Zhang Zeyang took the resumes and casually flipped through a couple of pages. He noticed that each resume highlighted the candidate's core experience and past achievements, and the headhunter had also included detailed background checks, showing that they had put a lot of effort into it.

He nodded in satisfaction: "Well done. Where should the interview be held?"

"We've already rented an entire floor in the Jardine House as the office space for Qian Gu Group. It's still under renovation, but we've set aside two temporary offices that can be used for interviews," Su Qing quickly replied. "If you're interested, we can hold the interviews there."

Jardine House is a Grade A office building in the heart of Hong Kong, with hefty rents. Zhang Zeyang had no objections and immediately decided: "Let's hold the interview at Jardine House. The interview will be tomorrow morning. You can arrange the time accordingly."

"Okay, I'll contact the headhunter and the four candidates tonight to finalize the time. I'll be waiting for you at the Yihe Building early tomorrow morning." Su Qing agreed readily, then reported a few more details from the headhunter before taking her briefcase and leaving.

The next morning, the sky was clear and the streets of Hong Kong were bustling with traffic, displaying its prosperity.

Zhang Zeyang had his security personnel drive to the Yihe Building. Dressed in a simple black casual outfit, he entered the building. The receptionist saw a child leading more than a dozen people to the company and was confused about what was going on.

As soon as I entered the company, I saw Su Qing already waiting for me. The floor still had a faint smell of renovation, and most areas were surrounded by protective tarpaulins. Workers were carrying out construction in an orderly manner. Only the two offices at the end of the corridor were clean and tidy, with desks and chairs arranged neatly, obviously prepared as interview venues.

"Mr. Zhang, you've arrived." Su Qing quickly stepped forward and reported in a low voice, "We've contacted all four candidates. The first one, the CFO, will arrive in ten minutes. I've already put the documents in my office."

Zhang Zeyang nodded slightly and stepped into the temporary office by the window. Outside the window was the bustling street scene of Hong Kong, with towering buildings and heavy traffic.

He sat down behind his desk, and Su Qing handed him the organized documents, saying softly, "The first candidate's surname is Zhou, his name is Zhou Mingyuan, he is fifty years old, he has worked as a senior financial executive in two well-known banks in Hong Kong, he has a lot of experience, a clean background, and no bad records."

Zhang Zeyang flipped through Zhou Mingyuan's resume, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes. He now held the reins of Qiangu Group, Qiangu Bank, and Hong Kong Daily, and would inevitably be making moves in the capital arena. A veteran like Zhou Mingyuan was exactly what he needed.

A short while later, Su Qing knocked on the door and came in, saying in a low voice, "Mr. Zhang, Mr. Zhou has arrived."

"Please let him in." Zhang Zeyang put away the resume, sat upright in the chair, and remained calm.

Soon, a middle-aged man in a dark suit with his hair neatly combed walked in; it was Zhou Mingyuan.

He was slightly overweight with sharp eyes. Upon entering, he bowed respectfully to greet Zhang Zeyang. Although he seemed somewhat surprised when his gaze fell on Zhang Zeyang, he showed no disrespect and behaved with propriety.

Zhang Zeyang didn't beat around the bush; he went straight to the point, raising a series of questions about financial control and fund allocation, each hitting the nail on the head.

Zhou Mingyuan was clearly well-prepared, and his response was clear, logical, and insightful.

More than half an hour later, Zhou Mingyuan got up to say goodbye. Zhang Zeyang watched his back and nodded slightly, having already made up his mind.

Next, the second interviewee, HR Director Lin Huimin, arrived. She was a woman in her thirties, with a gentle and capable demeanor. She had previously served as HR Director in a large multinational corporation and was skilled at building human resources systems.

Zhang Zeyang had an in-depth discussion with Lin Huimin about issues such as team building, employee motivation, and retention of core talent. Lin Huimin's answers were practical, and she also put forward a preliminary personnel plan for the current situation of Qiangu Group, which pleased Zhang Zeyang.

The third interviewer was Wang Kai, the administrative manager, who was in his thirties and had worked in large and medium-sized enterprises. He was good at coordinating administrative affairs and had a thorough understanding of office management and logistical support. He answered questions calmly and reliably, and Zhang Zeyang observed him for a while and also felt that he was quite suitable.

The last person interviewed was a candidate for president of the Hong Kong Daily, surnamed Fang, named Wenshan, 45 years old. He had served as deputy editor-in-chief of a long-established British newspaper for many years and was extremely familiar with the media market. What was even more remarkable was that he had his own unique insights into the media industry.

When Zhang Zeyang specifically asked him how he revitalized a newspaper on the verge of bankruptcy, Fang Wenshan didn't just talk about theories. Instead, he proposed a nine-character policy of "stabilizing old customers, expanding new channels, and improving content." He also explained in detail how to retain old employees and how to expand business. Every word he said resonated with Zhang Zeyang.

After the interviews with the four candidates were completed, it was already noon. Su Qing walked into the office and, seeing Zhang Zeyang's calm expression, asked softly, "Mr. Zhang, what do you think of these four candidates?"

Zhang Zeyang leaned back in his chair, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes: "They're all good. Notify the headhunter to hire all four of them, with salaries increased by 10% as they requested. Have them start work as soon as possible. As for their specific tasks after they join the company, I'll arrange that after they've started."

"Okay! I'll go and inform the headhunter right away." Su Qing quickly agreed.

Zhang Zeyang stood up, walked to the window, and gazed at the bustling traffic below with a deep look in his eyes.

With the three core positions of finance, human resources, and administration finalized, and a suitable candidate found for the newspaper's president, the basic framework of the Qian Gu Group has been established.

A few more years, when he turns eighteen, will be the time for him to truly unleash his potential.

Take your time, there's still time.

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