this man is not calm

Chapter 376 Opportunism
In the past, Jin Shang basically did not attend any cocktail parties. Social activities that came from abroad, after being localized, are no longer what they originally were.

What does the authentic foreign wine club look like?
It is definitely not like in movies and TV dramas where they are well-dressed and polite, with men being gentle and elegant like gentlemen and women being bright and attractive like socialites.

It's just superficial, just take a look at it, don't take it seriously. There are still opportunities in social situations, and the probability of triggering exchange of interests is quite high.

It is not uncommon for some men and women to lose control of themselves and go to the suite upstairs or the private room backstage for a "deep talk".

The situation in China today is not much better, but those things that are not allowed to be seen in public usually don’t happen in public. They are either done in special nightclubs or “discussed in detail” in private.

China has beautiful clothing, so it is called Hua; it has great etiquette, so it is called Xia.

We are all respectable and civilized people. We should not be disrespectful like those impolite foreigners.

The cocktail party convened by my second uncle Mei Yingnian did not seem to have any special theme. It was just a social occasion for eating, drinking and networking with colleagues. It was more like a martial arts conference convened by the leader of the martial arts world.

Or is it a declaration by grassroots heroes who rise up and establish their own cause?

In short, the participants are basically business partners, partners with close interests, relatives and friends with whom we have established a close relationship, etc.

It has been several years since I "abandoned ship and went ashore" to get involved in real estate and finance and expand my business territory. It was really difficult in the beginning, and I rashly entered an unfamiliar market and suffered a lot of losses. It has only been in the past two years that things have gradually gone smoothly.

If I have to identify a turning point, it is undoubtedly that after I started interacting with my little nephew, even my luck seemed to have improved.

Mei Yingnian asked himself if he was a weakling with strange superstitious ideas. A business tycoon who started from scratch and built up a huge empire would not believe in such nonsense as fate, luck or feng shui.

However, looking back on his experiences over the past two years, Mei Yingnian had to admit that it was really hard to explain when good fortune came.

If there is no "supernatural" power or guardian angel's blessing, then we must come to a conclusion...

"My nephew is truly a blessed man. No wonder so many people are trying their best to get close to him and take advantage of his so-called destiny."

Taking advantage of the fact that the guests had not yet arrived, Yan Shufan ate a few snacks to fill her stomach. She glanced at her husband who was sighing inexplicably and sneered softly:

"You're not old yet, so how can you say such useless things? Do you believe in stories like fate, strange stories in unofficial history, or stories made up by ignorant fools?"

"That's not what I meant. I was just lamenting that the 'ceiling' is something that really varies depending on one's background. You know, for someone like Ah Shang, as long as he is a good person, it is only a matter of time before he becomes successful. His starting point is the end point of most people. You and I have worked hard for more than 20 years, and inherited the foundation and connections of my father-in-law, but... in less than two years, we were easily caught up by others. It certainly shows our ability, but it is also the protection of our ancestors..."

In terms of net assets, Mei Yingnian is far ahead of Jin Shang, but in terms of total asset size, valuation and book wealth, the gap between the two is not particularly large.

Being fat just because of false weight is still fat, and it is just as heavy. Jin Shang is still young and has enough time to turn his paper wealth into real wealth.

"That child... Xinghong really gave birth to an incredible monster. Even without you as his uncle and his great-grandfather, he can still be rich and powerful... as long as he has the mind to do so."

The rest are still worth discussing. Yan Shufan also recognizes Jin Shang's ability.

"The old man from the Huang family, everyone is waiting for him to die, but I didn't expect that even at this time, he still has the courage to bet heavily on his great-grandson who changed his surname. Hasn't the lesson from decades ago scared him? If it weren't for such a radical trial mode, his boss might not have been forced to death..."

"A great family with a long history naturally has its own logic, especially when it comes to choosing a head of the family and training heirs. They are even more ruthless. Even between father and son, there is no logic to it. This era is not very favorable for a behemoth like 'Jiang Xia Huang'. Ashang appeared at the right time. Wouldn't it be better if he changed his surname?"

Blood ties cannot be severed, but there is no direct interest relationship. After Old Huang passes away, the distance between the Jin family father and son and the Huang family's "filial sons and grandchildren" is just right, which can not only scare away the wolves and tigers that are eyeing them, but also allow many tribesmen to overcome difficulties smoothly.

For Huang Zhengkuo, preserving the family business is actually secondary. The most important thing is to ensure the safety of his descendants. As long as the mountains are green, there will be no shortage of firewood.

After all, there is still no mainstay to inherit Lao Huang's influence, and we are lucky to have Jin Shang emerge.

The better the great-grandson performs, the more fortunate Old Huang is. He had some ties with the Jin family back then. Although the father and son of the Jin family are not close, they are not the kind of people who turn their backs on each other. Although he cannot say that I will repay you with a jade pendant if you give me a papaya, at least he can return the favor.

And that's enough.

"Those guys who used to make things difficult for me, did they give me some convenience out of respect for the Huang family?"

"How would I know?"

Putting down what he was holding and wiping the corners of his mouth with a napkin, Yan Shufan responded nonchalantly,
"You are the host today, so don't worry about losing face. As for Ashang, let the young people handle it. Wenhui is old enough and has been through so many years. He can handle it on his own. Don't worry too much."

"Yeah! As for Wenhui, I was very satisfied with him before, and now... it's pretty good too. If you have a son who is too capable, you may not be able to have no worries. I don't know what my brother-in-law thinks, does he have no sense of accomplishment at all? Fortunately, I have a little son, so I can experience the feeling of being a parent again."

Being an heir who maintains the status quo is not necessarily a bad thing. Isn’t it so that future generations don’t have to work so hard that the elders work so hard?
"Everyone raises a son hoping he will be smart, but I have been misled by my intelligence all my life. I only hope that my child will be stupid and rude, and will become an official without any disaster or trouble. This is a line from Ah Shang's poem, and it is true... Being too smart is not necessarily a good thing. Sometimes, being a little stupid is not a bad thing."

After tidying up his clothes, Yan Shufan prepared to go out.
"Don't drink too much. You're not young anymore. You can't handle anything like you used to."

"understood."

Looking at his wife's receding back, his confused eyes became much clearer.

"It's almost the new century, we have to believe in science, but... there's no smoke without fire. Maybe the Huang family really has some incredible secrets. It's harmless psychological comfort, which is good, but if it really works, then..."

Shaking the wine glass in his hand, Mei Yingnian swallowed the words that were about to come to his lips.

Confucius does not speak of strange and supernatural things. This has been the case since ancient times. In order to gild oneself, people would attach themselves to a great ancestor and create the illusion of being born rich and having supernatural bloodline. This is a common practice in ancient and modern times, both in China and abroad.

It is precisely because the conservative idea of ​​"it is better to believe it than not to believe it" is prevalent that things like prophecies and divinations have been banned repeatedly and have been passed down from the Qin and Han Dynasties to the present.

A nation that is naturally strong-willed will not raise useless gods, but there are people everywhere who pray to gods and Buddhas with the attitude that seeking comfort is good enough.

Mei Yingnian also didn't believe that Huang Zhengkuo and Jin Shang had any extraordinary divine protection, but just in case, it would be better not to go against them.

Perhaps this is also due to the accumulated power of "Jiangxia Huang" over the past few hundred years. Anyone who goes against them will have a bad end, which makes everyone spontaneously treat their clansmen, relatives and friends with good intentions.

At least, it is a general consensus not to target anyone unless necessary.

"Heaven's favor may not be true, but the people's support is real. This is probably... the foundation of the family for two thousand years, right? Family reputation, family background, hometown prestige, etc., are said to no longer exist, but in fact they are just a different way of saying it, or they are more hidden. "Knowing how to reincarnate can really help you win at the starting line.

The reason why Mei Yingnian's business has been much smoother in the past two years is not only due to his own efforts and stronger strength, but also the change in his identity, from a "dragon from across the river" to one of us, and the achievement of One of Us. This is the key. He is the relative of "Jiangxia Huang" and the uncle of Jin Shang, a talented young man who is currently in the limelight in Beijing.

"I spent six or seven years of money but couldn't buy a ticket. In the end, I was able to get into the circle easily by relying on my nephew's name. No wonder... marriage was so important in the old times. Parents' orders, matchmakers' words, and family alliances were like a second life for the parties involved."

Of course, this is just the beginning, and the road ahead is long. For Mei Yingnian, obtaining the qualification for fair competition means that his efforts over the years have not been in vain. At the same time, he has also gained such a powerful helper in the Jin family father and son.

"Xinghong is so lucky!"

I sighed inwardly for a while, feeling a little regretful because my nephew was sick, and neither Jin Shi nor Mei Xinghong came.

While he was thinking about it, there was a commotion at the door. The eldest son Mei Wenhui and a young man with his arm around a beautiful lady walked in, followed by a slightly older, darker-skinned, energetic young man.

"arrive!"

He touched his cheek, sorted out his emotions, and with a kind smile of an elder on his face, Mei Yingnian stood up and walked over.
-
In the booth, the three brothers sat on each side. Zhang Yunying was talking about his recent gains, artificial soil, water and fertilizer conservation, sandy-alkali land reclamation technology, and how it would only take two or three years to transform the desert into fertile land with certain economic value. There were also indoor high-pressure sodium lamp vegetable planting bases and fully enclosed constant temperature breeding centers.

Jin Shang didn't study agriculture, but he could roughly understand what his cousin meant.

If small rural farmers completely listen to the experts, they will most likely lose money. However, it is extremely difficult to make money in large-scale agriculture and animal husbandry without scientific protection.

For example, the inconspicuous practice of returning wheat straw to the fields is of great significance to large-scale mechanized farms and grain producers with an operating cycle of ten years. My second aunt's family has been exploring this for nearly ten years and finally developed a proven and efficient model.

But for self-reliant farmers, not burning wheat straw is not only laborious, but also increases expenses. The larvae and eggs of pests that are not killed by the high temperature of the fire will lead to more secondary problems, such as a sharp increase in pesticide use, pesticide residues, reduced production, and so on.

These are no longer a problem on my second aunt's farm. They adopt scientific rotation of fallow periods, use pesticides rationally, use chemical agents to enhance fermentation efficiency, make comprehensive use of biogas, use less chemical fertilizers, reduce costs, and prevent soil compaction. Some links require investment, but overall it is profitable after a whole process.

As time goes by, farming will become less and less profitable, and large mechanized farms and large-scale breeding farms will become the mainstream.

Of course, this is not Jin Shang's concern. Zhang Yunying just has a rare opportunity to do things independently, and he feels a great sense of accomplishment and has a strong desire to talk.

"When will your mom's ranch open? Mid-year or summer vacation?"

"The first phase will probably work. We'll start with it and then gradually improve it. We'll have milking experiences, sheep feeding, playing games with piglets, a horse training ground, etc. By the way, the horse farm hasn't even officially opened yet, but it's already got business."

"Where did it come from?"

"There are many film crews shooting at the nearby film and television bases, especially those for costume dramas and war dramas, which require a large number of horses. Many of them have horse riding scenes. Some crews rent horses but have nowhere to put them, so they come to discuss entrusting the horses to be raised. In addition, helping actors train in horse riding is also a business."

The filming of TV dramas and movies these days is still quite honest. The horses ridden are real, and at most a stunt double is used to perform dangerous actions.

"Oh, that sounds okay!"

There are horse farms in the capital, but there are not many of them either. There is not a single one close to film and television bases, especially for large crews like "Romance of the Three Kingdoms", an epic production with many war scenes involving thousands of troops, and they are rare big patrons.

Zhang Yunying's business hasn't even officially opened yet, but he's already received so many customers. I have to say, it's been a pretty smooth start.

"After the official opening, we will arrange a traffic entrance in offline life and send out coupons to increase popularity. There are still many wealthy families in the capital, but what is lacking is entertainment projects, especially parent-child travel suitable for all ages."

With the advancement of urbanization, the vigorous development of the tertiary industry is a foregone conclusion, and Zhang Yunying's move can be considered to have seized the opportunity.

After chatting for a while, Jin Shang asked Mei Wenhui:

"How are the preparations for the bank's IPO going?"

"It's not a big problem, it's just a matter of dividing the pie. The market is extremely optimistic about it. If it is postponed to early next year, the valuation will be higher, but... there is no need to wait."

"Ok!"

It is more cost-effective to raise funds as soon as possible, replenish capital, and then increase leverage than to haggle for half a year and work hard to get a valuation of 20 to 30 billion.

“What month will it be listed?”

"As early as September, as late as December. As long as we have reached an agreement, it will be a matter of going through the formalities. It will be quick. How are things going on your side? What's the problem?"

“It is difficult to apply for an exemption if the actual controller has not been changed for three years, unless state-owned capital is strategically introduced and the other party is willing to come forward to plead for it.”

"It's about time..."

Mei Wenhui frowned slightly.

"Is there any other way?"

"I asked some of my connections to ask if there is any chance of a turnaround. Let's use plan B. There is no other way. Otherwise, we will have to wait until next year."

The so-called Plan B is not to use the acquired offline channels such as Huixin Bookstore as the main source of financing, but to list the parent company of Jinxi Video Network as the main body, which will not involve changing the actual controller.

For listing applications, the change of actual controller within three years is more stringent than if the company was established less than three years ago. Jin Shang doesn't know what the exchange was like in his previous life, but this is the rule of the main board of the Beijing Stock Exchange in this world. It is probably to prevent insider trading or interest transfer.

One is an offline channel operator exploring Internet business, and the other is an Internet video service platform purchased from an offline distribution company. Let's see which statement can convince the regulators to approve it.

"Isn't this the same thing?"

Zhang Yunying murmured in confusion, and Jin Shang explained:
"That's one thing, but offline business is the main business now. Online videos are just a gimmick and don't make money at all. To be so opportunistic, you need others to believe you. Of course, as long as you can save face and have a way out, you can find connections to help lobby."

Doing this is actually walking on the edge of regulatory regulations, and it will be difficult if you meet someone who is difficult to talk to.

(End of this chapter)