money player

"Rachel?"

Old Burke recognized Rachel and was slightly surprised by Sin Yiu-man and her intimate behavior.

"Mr. Burke."

Rachel felt a little shy and nervous. She didn't know what Xian Yaowen thought, and she felt like she was meeting his parents.

Sin Yiu-man pulled out a chair for Rachel and led her to sit down. Then, sitting back down, he said to old Burke, "Rachel will be having lunch with us."

Old Burke looked at Rachel and said with a faint smile, "It's been a long time since I've seen George. How has he been lately?"

“Dad is great. He built a holiday home in the suburbs and often goes there alone to fish and pick wild strawberries to make jam.”

“Great, George has found enjoyment in his retirement.” Old Burke glanced at Sin Yiu-man’s face, then his gaze returned to Rachel’s. “You’ve taken over the work at Alexander Department Store?”

"I am only responsible for a small part of the work."

"Oh." Old Burke caught a glimpse of the waiter walking up to Rachel out of the corner of his eye. "I'd like a baked lobster, but Adam doesn't have much time for lunch. Would you mind sharing with me?"

Rachel chuckled and replied, "I came here just to eat baked lobster."

"Very good, duck meat with orange sauce?"

"One will do."

When Sin Yiu-man saw that the two had reordered the time-consuming dishes he had rejected, he knew that they would have a conversation in his absence and wondered what the old man would say.

He was afraid of alerting the enemy, so he didn't think about investigating the old Burke. But the old Burke's sudden recognition of him was obviously not because he was looking for his long-lost illegitimate son. It was more likely that he felt powerless and it was time to plan for a successor.

Based on the previous sounding out, we can infer that Burke had a very capable son, but he was not a suitable successor. We can imagine that the son was busy with something more important than succession, and at this point in time, it is not hard to guess that it was "Israel".

It's still too early to tell whether Burke was a pure Jewish democrat or a normal person eyeing Jerusalem. He might have been pure before the founding of the state, but after the founding of the state, he'll probably start vying for power.

Rachel said that most Jews in New York knew Burke, and it was not difficult to imagine that Burke helped those who came later. He must have been quite influential among Jews. Even if such a person did not have the idea of ​​founding a nation, the founding fathers would contact him.

Moreover, New York has always been a major source of funding for the establishment of Israel, and the headquarters of various Jewish foundations are mostly located in New York. It is difficult for Burke to extricate himself from the matter of the establishment of Israel, and he can be considered a person deeply involved.

That son is most likely serving Israel at this moment, and is also ready to serve the Israeli people at any time. Putting yourself in his shoes, if he were Burke, he would also recognize his son who makes money and cooperate with that son.

But there is a big problem: he had never heard of the name Nathan Burke in his previous life, and there is no political family with the name Burke in Israel. Did he fail very early on and become an unknown skeleton who died on the road to power, or did his son not survive the period of serving Israel and not have time to make a great impact?
Whatever the outcome, if he is right, he would be more than happy to do as Burke wishes. In the coming years, Israel will be constantly at war. If he has the ability to intervene in the war and slightly change its course, the Middle East will be full of gold waiting for him to pick up.

"Adam, would you like a soufflé?" Rachel asked Sin Yiu-man after discussing the main and side dishes with Old Burke.

Sin Yiu-man looked at the waiter, "Freshly made soufflé?"

"Yes, sir."

"Start making the soufflé immediately after the main course is served."

"Okay, sir."

Sin Yiu-man explained to Rachel, "I have an appointment at two o'clock."

Rachel nodded slightly and handed the menu back to the waiter. "Adam, regarding the business we discussed last time, there are a few products for which I urgently need a stable supplier."

What product?

Have you ever had a waist trainer?

"I've never done it before, but I know how to do it and I have the ability to do it."

"If you can accept a price of 50 cents per piece, New York price, I can give you a long-term order of 10 pieces."

Sin Yiu-man said slowly and deliberately: "The materials for a corset include nylon fabric, rubber, elastic yarn Lastex, buckles and stocking hooks. It requires more than a dozen processes. According to the working hours, a female garment worker can only make a few in a day."

However, 50 cents is enough for me to pay my workers' wages. I can forgo making a profit on your order; you just need to purchase the raw materials and ship them to Hong Kong immediately, and I'll accept your processing order.

"It's not processing supplied materials; it's me purchasing from you."

“Oh, my garment factory is called Chung Hwa Garment, not the Hong Kong Red Cross office in New York.”

Rachel looked displeased. "We're talking business."

"Really?" Sin Yiu-man looked surprised. "I thought we were rehearsing a stand-up comedy routine. I can't believe it. Today I met a Jewish guy who wanted to talk to me about a 50-cent corset business. Madam, this deserves applause."

"Is it funny?" Rachel's face darkened.

“It’s hilarious.” Sin Yiu-man tapped the table with his finger. “When doing business, please be sincere. If you ask for $1, I’m happy to spend some time negotiating with you. 50 cents is just stand-up comedy.”

"Okay, you give me a quote."

"Thank you. Please tell me the lead time for a 10-piece order, how it will be allocated to each month, how the deposit will be paid, how the breach of contract clauses will be drafted, and also how to provide samples to determine the workpiece standards. We need to finalize these details before I can give you a quote."

Rachel frowned and said, "Can't you give me a rough price first?"

"Sorry, I can't do it."

Sin Yiu-man wanted to give Rachel a hard time. This woman's offer was aggressive, and her demands were malicious. She wanted to lead him into a trap. She was cunning.

Of course, he wasn't exactly a saint either. China Garment Factory didn't actually have the full capacity to produce nylon products. The workshop lacked straight-blade cutting machines, belt cutting machines, punch presses, high-speed single-needle overlock sewing machines, and buttonhole machines. They also needed to upgrade their steam ironing tables.

If the order is suitable, he wants to use the deposit to install the machine and try to catch the trend of nylon product manufacturing.

People have long resented DuPont's control over the Nylon 66 patent. DuPont strictly controls the patent, not letting any profits go to outsiders. There are already widespread complaints, and there are rumors of outsiders uniting to take down DuPont. In addition, Nylon 6 is maturing, and more than half of the Nylon 66 patent has expired. DuPont should soon begin to grant limited licenses to the Nylon 66 patent.

Once multiple chemical companies acquire the capability to produce nylon 66, prices will immediately plummet, and hosiery brands will spring up like mushrooms after rain. Huanghe Hosiery is poised to establish itself, taking on hosiery production orders on one hand and operating its own brand on the other.

"Let's put the corset aside for now. I also need a three-pack of men's all-cotton boxer briefs and women's all-cotton, rayon, and nylon lace briefs. These are promotional items, and I don't want to hear any high prices."

"That's negotiable. I only care about stable volume and don't have high demands for profit."

"The lower the price you offer, the larger the quantity I want."

"Show me your sample, and I can give you a quote on the spot."

Underwear has few steps and is simple to make, making it ideal for new female garment workers to learn how to use sewing machines. It is also suitable for outsourcing to family workshops, where you don't earn a processing fee but only a commission from selling sewing machines.

"Approximately what's the price?"

"Is it acceptable for the rayon underwear to use 100 denier as the main material, 30 to 75 denier for lace, trim, and binding tape, and 200 denier for sewing thread?"

"The main fabric is knitted weft-knitted fabric."

"Sure, we can discuss orders of 10,000 pieces of rayon per month. Smaller orders don't allow us to cut raw material costs. Do you need silk underwear? I can offer you the best price."

Rachel looked disdainful. "Silk underwear is outdated. Only old-fashioned rich women would buy it. There's not much demand for it in all of New York."

Xian Yaowen chuckled, “That’s because you haven’t considered the demand from another angle. Silk underwear is expensive, and in the past only wealthy women could afford it. Conversely, a woman who wears silk underwear is a wealthy woman. It’s a kind of taste, and if marketed properly, it will have a good market.”

"Adam, we're talking business, don't flirt."

Sin Yiu-man shrugged. "I was just helping you broaden your marketing ideas... Okay, let's not talk about that. Can you even get 10,000 messages a month?"

"If the price is right, I can give you a monthly order of 2 units."

“I don’t want to hear impossible numbers; Alexander Department Store can’t sell that many in a month.”

"Don't apply the experiences of other department stores to Alexander; clothing has always been a major component of Alexander's revenue."

“Okay, if you say so, then I can meet your low price requirement. However, our supply cycle is in the form of years, and we only need 2 units per month. We are talking about a deal of at least 24 units.”

Rachel calmly replied, "Give me the right price, and I can promise you at least three years' worth of orders."

"Money is dirty and should not disturb God. We can go down to the Sheol (a place similar to the underworld in Jewish culture) and sign a covenant with Satan."

Rachel said dejectedly, "Adam, it seems like we lack even the most basic trust. How can we cooperate?"

“Rachel, the biggest problem between us isn’t the foundation of trust, but the difference in our levels of understanding.” Xian Yaowen pointed at Rachel. “I treated you as an entrepreneur, a Jew who had grasped the essence of the Talmud, and we were having a conversation. But you gave me a vivid demonstration of what the cunning of a Jewish peddler is like.”

Sorry, our business deal ends here for now. Tonight I'll be temporarily hiring a Jewish vendor selling pickles in the Jewish community as a salesperson; he or she will be responsible for following up on your orders.

Upon hearing this, the old man couldn't help but chuckle coldly.

Rachel's face was ashen. "Are you humiliating me?"

“No.” Sin Yiu-man shrugged. “I have always believed that all men are created equal.”

As he spoke, his tone softened, "Rachel, do you have time tonight? I'd like to invite you to the drive-in theater."

Rachel was taken aback by Sin Yiu-man's drastic change in demeanor, and it took her a while to recover. "I'm busy."

"Okay, I'll ask you out again next time."

Rachel did not respond, but turned to old Burke and said, "Mr. Burke, excuse me for a moment."

After saying that, she grabbed her bag and headed towards the bathroom.

"Excuse me for a moment." No sooner had Rachel left than Xian Yaowen said the same thing to the old man.

Old Burke chuckled and said, "Adam, be gentle with the lady."

"I have eight wives."

After saying that, Sin Yiu-man chased after Rachel.

Old Burke watched his departing figure and chuckled.

The restaurant's men's and women's restrooms were separate, but that didn't stop Sin Yiu-man. A little over a second later than Rachel, he pushed open the restroom door and went in. He saw a lavishly decorated vanity table, next to which Rachel was standing, taking a cigarette out of her bag.

Behind her was a Black waitress.

Sin Yiu-man stepped forward, took out a ten-dollar bill and gave it to the Black waitress, "Are there any other ladies?"

"No, sir."

"Two minutes, thank you."

The waitress put the money away and walked towards the door.

Before the door even closed, Sin Yiu-man had already lifted Rachel's chin, taken the cigarette from her mouth, and kissed her.

With her mouth gagged, Rachel's eyes widened. She punched Xian Yaowen's arm twice with both hands, then her right hand, which had nowhere to go, involuntarily touched the back of his head, and her eyes slowly closed.

1 minutes 32 seconds.

Sin Yiu-man sounded the retreat, and the battering ram slowly retreated. The vanguard soldiers on both sides receded like a flood, converging and merging at Sin Yiu-man's chest.

Rachel lit another cigarette, trying to calm her agitated heart and trembling hands. After taking a couple of puffs, she glanced around nervously, then her gaze met Xian Yaowen's. "It was a stupid thing to agree to have lunch with you. I just wanted to see you again... I think it's time to end this."

Sin Yiu-man didn't speak, but stared sharply at Rachel's face.

"Don't look at me like that. Is this how you always do it? Kissing women who didn't become your wives?"

"of course not."

"So, do you think my life should revolve around you?"

“This is a soul-searching question, and I need to answer it carefully, but…” Xian Yaowen pointed to the watch face, “The agreed time has arrived, and I don’t want to cause her any trouble. Six o’clock, I’ll wait for you at the entrance of Alexander Department Store?”

"Ok."

Sin Yiu-man patted Rachel's arm. "I'll go out first."

Upon reaching the outside of the restroom, Sin Yiu-man faced the female attendant guarding the door and said, "I hope I haven't caused you any trouble."

The waitress smiled and said, "No one is coming."

"Not bad, thanks again."

1133 Fifth Avenue, a high-end apartment building just across the street from Central Park, is the core residence of the Soong family, where they enjoy the city's conveniences and social life.

The Song family was having dinner, and the dishes on the table were mainly light dishes prepared in the style of Huaiyang cuisine, including steamed grouper, a small portion of braised pork, seasonal tomatoes, cucumbers and carrots stir-fried, and a dish of steamed okra.

There were a few more dishes than usual because we had guests, including the eldest sister, Soong Ai-ling.

Soong Ai-ling picked up a slice of carrot, chewed it slowly, and said, "I received news that Sin Yiu-man attended the Kennedy family's fundraising party in Los Angeles and may have donated a considerable amount."

Why did Sin Yiu-man go to Los Angeles?

"The Flower Society has a subsidiary in Hollywood called Jorge Guinness Agency. Sin Yiu-man is quite resourceful and has extensive connections in Hollywood."

Song Ziwen used the serving chopsticks to pick up a piece of braised pork and put it on his own plate. Then he used his personal chopsticks to separate the lean and fatty meat. "Sin Yiu-man emerged out of nowhere and made great strides, from Hong Kong to Singapore, to New York, Los Angeles, and then to Taipei."

“You forgot to mention the mainland. According to Meimei’s information, Sin Yiu-man’s concubine, Su Li-zhen, has traveled to the mainland several times and done a lot of business with the CCP.”

"Sister, are you trying to talk about Sin Yiu-man's political leanings?"

"Sin Yiu-man doesn't seem to have any political leanings. He's just a shrewd businessman who knows how to seize every opportunity to make big money. The mainland needs medicine, so he smuggles medicine. The mainland buys the smuggled goods at high prices. Foreign exchange and gold are probably running out, so they need to export to replenish their reserves. The export price won't be set too high, and there will be a significant price difference in between."

Soong Ai-ling remarked, "Xian Yaowen is incredibly shrewd. He didn't miss out on any of the lucrative business opportunities, and in less than two years, his fortune reached astronomical figures."

Soong Tse-ven said noncommittally, "He came over this morning..."

"Sin Yiu-man only informed you this morning?"

"A little past nine o'clock."

"Knowing to give advance notice doesn't seem like you don't know the rules. Why not yesterday, but this morning?" Soong Ai-ling said thoughtfully. "Did you take the time difference into account, so that you can contact me but it's inconvenient for you to contact Mei-mei?"

After a moment's thought, Song Ziwen asked, "Is Xian Yaowen trying to test whether it's Meiling's personal intention, or..."

"I bet that's it. This little rascal is so clever, do you think he figured out what Meimei was thinking?"

"What's there to guess? Even common folk who enjoy listening to stories can tell a few tales about the substitution of the crown prince by a raccoon dog or the struggle for the throne among the nine princes. How could Xian Yaowen not have thought of it?"

"Isn't he afraid that Chiang Ching-kuo will make an example of him?"

“He entered the country as an American, had connections in the U.S. military advisory group, made high-profile investments in Taiwan with U.S. funds, and made peace with Chiang Ching-kuo’s faction at the Bank of Taiwan. Xian Yaowen had already made arrangements for his own security.”

"It seems that some of the money that Sin Yiu-man took to Taiwan came from the Italian Mafia," Soong Ai-ling remarked again. "That little devil is really something."

"Sister, are you planning to talk to him today?"

"There's no point in probing any further. Let's just get started and leave the important stuff for Mei-mei to say in Taipei."

"Ah."

In the restaurant.

After the dishes were served, Old Burke and Rachel talked quietly, while Sin Yiu-man ate in silence, thinking about the upcoming visit to the Song family.

He was getting impatient with Soong Mei-ling's slow, tentative probing. Chiang Ching-kuo controlled the intelligence system, and he figured Soong Mei-ling's little tricks wouldn't escape his notice. If he didn't seize the opportunity before the "family rule" was established, he wouldn't touch the Taiwanese smuggling business, no matter how great the benefits, once Chen Cheng's faction ceased to be a threat to Chiang Ching-kuo.

Hopefully, T.V. Soong and A.L. Soong are not indecisive and prone to missing out on good opportunities.

He pulled himself back to the conversation between the two men, and from the old man's tone, he could vaguely hear that he was talking to his future daughter-in-law. He could only mutter "Damn it" to himself. Did this old man not have a better marriage partner, or was he respecting his wishes?
Don't play the "freedom" game. If you have better photos, play them like playing cards, preferably airplanes with wings, so you can get ten or more at once. (End of Chapter)