money player

Before 3 p.m., Xian Yaowen and Wang Xiamin returned to the living room of Building 1. Wang Xiamin sat on Xian Yaowen's lap and responded to his passionate kiss with a mix of awkwardness and enthusiasm.

The seasoned veteran, Xian Yaowen, set aside his experience and took care of the newbie Wang Xiamin's feelings, playing a game with her that they played when they first fell in love—kissing each other for ages until they were breathless and their mouths were dry.

Smack, smack, the two kissed, their hands behaving properly, not roaming freely over each other's bodies.

The kiss lasted for nearly half an hour. Their lips became dry, and the air between them was expelled, making them sticky. When they were pressed together, they would stick firmly together, and when they were pulled apart, they would make a popping sound.

卜～
After a particularly loud movement, their lips parted completely. Wang Xiamin's face, which had turned a deep purple from shyness, passion, and pent-up anger, instantly faded, but her burning lips remained.
A few sweet words made Wang Xiamin feel like she was swallowing sugar and licking honey. He quickly took off his acting costume as a lovestruck man, sat in the study, and calmly put on the mask of a domineering CEO.

The domineering CEO is a womanizer. He can fall in love with me, who is more than 20 years older than him, divorced, and raising five children. He can also fall in love with me, who is a year older than him and a mother. But he loves me even more when I become a piece of paper.

The documents from Wharf Holdings came into Sin Yiu-man's hands, and he read them carefully, reviewing Wharf Holdings' shareholding structure.

In terms of shareholders, Jardine Matheson is the largest shareholder with 30% of the shares; the Standard Chartered family is the second largest shareholder with 15% of the shares; HSBC and its custodian funds are the third largest shareholder with 12% of the shares; other shareholders include Swire, Hutchison Whampoa, and some long-established Chinese families, such as the Chau Siu-nin family.

The Wharf Holdings board of directors has a total of 9 seats, with Jardine Matheson and the Standard Chartered family holding 7 of them, giving them a firm grip on the power of the board.

Wharf Holdings has been listed since 1886. Its total share capital has changed several times. The current total share capital is 1 million shares. The initial par value was HK$10. There are 100 publicly traded shares on the stock exchange. However, the trading volume is sluggish, with an average of less than 20 shares traded per day. The share price has been below the net asset value for a long time.

Sin Yiu-man made a phone call and asked about yesterday's closing price, which was HK$11.32, meaning that Wharf Holdings' valuation was HK$1132 million.

Wharf Holdings' assets include the Star Ferry Pier in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon; the main warehouse of Wharf Holdings; the warehouse in Yau Ma Tei Typhoon Shelter; undeveloped reclaimed land along the Tsim Sha Tsui coast; some industrial land in Tsing Yi, Tsuen Wan; 4 iron pontoons, 2 tugboats, and a fleet of barges; 0.75 miles of its own track on the Tsim Sha Tsui branch of the Kowloon-Canton Railway from Wharf Holdings; and several street-front shops on Nathan Road in Mong Kok.

If we analyze Wharf Holdings' main business of wharf and warehousing, the valuation of HK$1132 million is slightly underestimated. It could be doubled to HK$2400 million. However, considering the pessimistic outlook for Hong Kong's entrepot trade, a valuation of no more than HK$2000 million is more reasonable.

If we analyze the land held by Wharf Holdings, the valuation of HK$1132 is seriously underestimated. Based solely on the current land price, the valuation could exceed HK$100 million. From a developmental perspective, HK$300 million is a more reasonable valuation.

If Wharf Holdings were owned by Sin Yiu-man, he would absolutely not sell for less than HK$1 billion. That's the price for this year. Next year, he would have to add another HK$10 million, and the year after that, another HK$1 million, and so on.

On the other hand, if someone actually buys it this year and pays in full upfront, offering 5 million, he'll be eager to sell, and 4 million isn't out of the question.

Regardless of how valuable Wharf Holdings' land will be in the future, having 4 million in cash can render Wharf Holdings' land worthless, and also give you the opportunity to make money back into hundreds of Wharf Holdings.

Of course, these are just assumptions. The idea that Wharf Holdings' land will rise to astronomical prices is only a "reasonable speculation." But from Jardine Matheson's perspective, they would not dare to make such a speculation at all, as Jardine Matheson has too much land, and most of it is prime land.

Properties in the core business district of Central, such as Jardine Matheson Building, Jardine House, and Prince Edward Building, which are for owner-occupancy or rental purposes; warehouses and wharf yards in the Spring Garden Street area of ​​Wan Chai; mixed industrial and commercial land in Sugar Street and Jardine Street in Causeway Bay; waterfront warehouses on Canton Road in Tsim Sha Tsui; and agricultural land reserves in the New Territories.

All in all, the total area exceeds 340 million square feet. This is only the land held by Jardine Matheson, not including the "affiliation". Jardine Matheson's eldest son, Hongkong Land, holds nearly one million square feet of land in the core business district. Other sons of Jardine Matheson, such as Star Ferry, Jardine Matheson Shipping, and Jardine Matheson Machinery, also hold land to varying degrees.

Basically, Jardine Matheson owns land in Hong Kong's core business districts and areas awaiting commercial development, with a total area of ​​nearly 10 million square feet. Hong Kong land holders can be roughly divided into three categories: the Hong Kong government, Jardine Matheson, and others.

Hong Kong trading companies previously had substantial investments in the Shanghai area, with Jardine Matheson having even more assets in Shanghai. However, they suffered a major setback two years ago, with only some ships and funds withdrawn to Hong Kong, while the rest of their fixed assets were essentially lost.

Jardine Matheson was actually very worried about suffering another setback in Hong Kong, and had probably already made plans for withdrawing back to the mainland. At this point, how could they dare to overestimate the future value of the land?

Even with a loyal heart and a willingness to prepare for both possibilities, I still have high hopes for my future in Hong Kong and dare not be too greedy for land. Damn it, most of the good land is in the hands of your Jardine Matheson. I must be out of my mind to give you a piece of the action and let you reap the benefits.

The Jardine Matheson Group's resources are limited and already fully utilized; it dares not and cannot afford to be interested in Wharf Holdings' land holdings anymore.

Sin Yiu-man speculates that this is probably the real reason for Wharf Holdings' undervaluation.

If a plan is devised to inflate the value of Kowloon Wharf's land holdings, and this is done in consultation with Jardine Matheson, Jardine Matheson will almost certainly stand by and watch him acquire shares from the market and other shareholders.

After a moment of contemplation, Sin Yiu-man pressed the intercom button.

"Jieling".

"Brother, I'm here."

"Come here... wait for me in the living room, I'll come find you."

"Ok."

Two minutes later, Sin Yiu-man sat opposite Chung Kit-ling in the living room of Building 2.

"Jieling, how many shell companies do we have in London?"

"Five."

“Choose a suitable company, rename it Jin Fu Gui Holdings, and then draft a contract for London Jin Fu Gui Holdings to acquire 52% of the shares of Hong Kong Jin Fu Gui Holdings for £1.”

“Brother, taxes in London are much higher than in Hong Kong. If you do it this way, your taxes will increase fivefold. Even if you try to legally avoid taxes, it will still increase three and a half times.”

Sin Yiu-man waved his hand, “I know that for a long time to come, King Fu Gui Holdings will not have a lot of revenue and the taxes to be paid will be limited. A little more or less will not make a big difference. I need to legally transform King Fu Gui Holdings into a British-owned enterprise.”

"understood."

"Draft a legal contract for yourself. Jin Fu Gui Holdings will hire you as their legal counsel, and the fee will be set at HK$5. Make the contract look good and make it seem like you are getting more than your money's worth."

Zhong Jieling chuckled and said, "Big brother, is this a personal benefit for me?"

“For the little one inside.” Xian Yaowen pointed to Zhong Jieling’s belly. “Don’t put too much pressure on yourself about the baby. Your niece is also good. Your uncle will spoil her.”

Chung Chieh-ling's face radiated maternal love as she stroked her belly and said, "The little one is very naughty; it's most likely a boy."

“A boy would be even better.” Sin Yiu-man nodded. “You rest, I’m going back.”

"Big brother, let me take you there."

"Don't bother seeing me off. If you see me out, I'll have to see you back."

Back in his study, Sin Yiu-man took out a new map from the drawer and marked the locations of Jardine Matheson's land and Wharf Holdings' land with different colored pens. He then stared at the map in deep thought.

a long time.

He looked up at Wang Xiamin, who was sitting opposite him, and said, "Send a telegram to Judy in London. I miss her. Please invite her over for a get-together."

Hong Kong or Taipei?

"No need to mention the location, I will write her another letter."

"it is good."

While Wang Xiamin was on the phone, Xian Yaowen unfolded a letter paper and wrote a letter to Judy.

He wrote a long and detailed letter, put it in an envelope, and handed it to Wang Xiamin for processing. He then left the study and went up to the rooftop.

Light the charcoal stove, add water, and sit comfortably at the stone table to skewer the various ingredients prepared by Mrs. Song.

A moment later, Wang Xiamin sat down next to her and helped with the skewering.

"The electric fan has arrived."

"Ah."

"Quite good looking."

"I designed it."

What should I do with my old fan at home?

"Take it to Apliu Street and haggle with the junk dealer. It hasn't been used for long, so don't sell it as junk."

"That's right, the fan at home hasn't been used for very long, so there's really no need to replace it."

"We definitely need to replace it. We sell fans, and using fans from other companies won't be good."

"When can we get a new washing machine?"

"We have a rice cooker now, and the washing machine will be here soon too."

"Electric rice cookers are not practical; the rice they cook doesn't taste as good as rice cooked over a wood-fired stove."

"You know how much the stove you added to the kitchen cost; most families simply can't afford to build one."

"The stove itself didn't cost much; the money was all spent on the flue. You could have just rolled up some sheet metal; there was no need to build a separate flue."

"The tinplate will rust through in less than a year, making it impractical and unsightly."

"Oh, do Hong Kong people buy rice cookers?"

"We're not in a hurry to sell in Hong Kong. We'll sell to Japan first. At first, there won't be many buyers. We'll need to wait a while until people are better off. Then, more people will naturally buy."

"Why not postpone production? The money spent on building the workshop can be used elsewhere first."

"We're not the only ones making rice cookers. We need to plan ahead for patents and market influence, and we also need to promote them to get people to accept rice cookers."

"What if we launch the product and someone else takes the market share?"

"There are risks in doing business. If you're not as skilled as others, you just have to accept it. But let's not talk about that. Miss Fang Jingyin, the famous singer, how about I sing you a song?"

Wang Xiamin smiled and said, "Okay."

"It Seems Like an Old Friend Has Come," sung by Sin Yiu-man.

Wang Xiamin laughed heartily.

Sin Yiu-man licked his lips, cleared his throat, and hummed softly, "We were both just passing through, we both dreamed the same dream, we should have been a couple."

The moment the first note was uttered, Wang Xiamin thought it sounded beautiful and unconsciously began transcribing the music. She was no longer the novice she once was; now she could transcribe the music after just one listen and even deduce the following notes from the preceding notes.

Good songs always follow certain patterns, but only musical tailors can defy conventions. One tune starts as "City Gate Tower," the next as "Hip Bone Axe," and then it's like "Your wife cuts a green hat and hangs herself on a southeast branch"—that's truly unrestrained imagination.

"In youth, one is unaware in dreams, but upon waking, one must return to the past. Three meals a day and a place to sleep are shared, but who will it ultimately be? Whatever is not obtained, whatever is in the past, is always the most perfect match..."

As Xian Yaowen's humming gradually stopped, Wang Xiamin said softly, "Were we destined to be apart?"

“I met an old lady in Singapore wearing a red headscarf. She was from Hui’an. There is a custom there that the bride does not stay at the husband’s house after marriage. On the wedding night, the bride cannot share a bed with her husband. She either sleeps on her side or lies on the table and waits until dawn.”

The next day, the bride would return to her parents' home. She could only be borrowed by her husband's family during the Spring Festival, Qingming Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, Winter Solstice, and busy farming seasons. She would enter her husband's home in the dark and return to her parents' home before dawn, and each visit could not exceed three days.

"Shall we share a room?"

“Yes.” Sin Yiu-man nodded. “When a bride is pregnant, she can move into her husband’s house. This is called ‘returning home’.”

Why is there this rule?

"The old lady couldn't say for sure what the real reason was, but after analyzing what she said, I think it was probably due to two reasons. First, her family didn't want to lose the bride as a source of labor too soon, so they wanted her to stay at home for as many days as possible."

Secondly, in the past, the men there spent long periods at sea fishing, leading to a division of labor where "men were the fishermen and women were the farmers." Women were often left alone in their husbands' homes, and when a bride first tasted meat, the groom, fearing she might cheat, would leave her with her family to watch over her.

"Don't the women over there have any status?"

"In places where it was common to go to Southeast Asia, the status of women was precarious. Many of Narcissus's sisters were sold by their families when they were just a few years old. Some of them didn't even have a chance to grow up. They were drowned in chamber pots or latrines by their families because they were born without a penis."

"Huh?" Wang Xiamin exclaimed, "Even if you don't want to raise it, you can abandon it or find a more dignified way to die. Why use such a disgusting method?"

"To ward off evil spirits, suppress evil, and establish authority." Xian Yaowen uttered each word clearly. "You can say it however you like. It's just for the female ghosts waiting to be reincarnated. If you dare to be reincarnated into my family, you'll be the role model."

"You're not human!" Wang Xiamin cursed. "Weren't I born of a woman?"

"Don't be angry." Xian Yaowen rubbed Wang Xiamin's cheek with his arm. "Let's not talk about this. I'll continue the story."

"Ah."

"This old lady is called Amin. Before she became a red-headed woman, she was the wife of a wealthy businessman. The businessman was neither dead nor bankrupt. He was alive and well and had several wives and concubines and many children."

"Was she kicked out of her home?"

"No, she attempted suicide by jumping into the sea but failed. She also had no intention of returning to the wealthy businessman because she had already made a private engagement before marrying him. She didn't love the businessman and always kept her wife in her heart."

"Hmm?" Wang Xiamin asked suspiciously, "Whose wife?"

"Who is it?"

"Don't ask. She's a normal person who likes men. Let's not bother her."

Wang Xiamin sighed, "What a wonderful song. I was planning to sing it, but never mind."

“Even if you don’t actively pay attention, you’ll hear about it. The other day, Meilin said that a man died in the hospital, and his buttocks were completely rotten. You could smell the stench from a mile away.”

"Selling your ass?"

"Yeah, I feel disgusted just hearing Merlin talk about it. I don't know how she can stand it."

"If you can't even handle this small situation, how can you be a doctor?"

The two chatted about this and that, and when the skewers were almost finished, Michelle arrived.

"Wash your hands and come join us for some skewers."

Michelle didn't waste any words. She washed her hands by the pool and sat down next to Wang Xiamin. "I thought it was barbecue."

"We also have barbecue, and we've prepared spring chicken especially for you."

Michelle glanced at Sin Yiu-man and said, "I don't like eating spring chicken."

"What a shame, I thought all British people liked young chickens." Sin Yiu-man shrugged. "Remember Judy?"

"uh-huh."

“I plan to invite her to become a shareholder of Jin Fugui Holdings, and if possible, I will also invite Margaret.”

"That Margaret?"

"That's the one."

Michelle awkwardly pulled out a cigarette, lit it, took two puffs, and said, "Are you sure?"

"I don't know, I'll do my best."

“Things will change if she becomes a shareholder, Adam. You’ll need to entertain some people.”

“I like making friends,” Sin Yiu-man said, pointing to a skewer of grilled meat. “Watch out for the ash.”

Michelle tossed away her cigarette. "The ash is clean."

"The ashes are not clean."

“Adam, you’re so clean.” Michelle retorted to Sin Yiu-man, then casually tossed the ash-covered meat skewer into the trash can. “Now it’s clean.”

"You can still eat it after washing it."

"Yes, Mr. Grandet."

Who is Grandet?

“No one.” Michelle glanced at Sin Yiu-man. “Where did Cen go?”

Cairo.

"You have business in Cairo?"

“Not now, but soon. I recently met Farouk.”

"heard about it."

Sin Yiu-man chuckled lightly, "Have news from Hollywood reached Hong Kong?"

"Can't I have friends in America?" Michelle smiled slyly.

"of course can."

What kind of business are you planning to do in Egypt?

"Selling weapons."

“Wow, that’s a good business,” Michelle teased. “Does it require investment?”

"I have a big business opportunity that needs investment. Are you interested?"

"what business?"

"My child needs a godmother."

"Ruoyunna?"

"uh-huh."

"I'm sorry, Cen and I have already agreed to be each other's godmothers."

"Am I the Godfather?"

"Adam, you are trustworthy, but there's something about your character... you know."

"Sometimes, you don't have to be so honest."

Michel said devoutly, "We must be honest, because God is an honest and truthful God."

"Okay, how does HSBC internally view Wharf Holdings' shares?"

“Adam, I believe you must know about the Bank of England’s gentleman’s agreement.”

"Banks are prohibited from purchasing shares in any company whose main business is not banking, unless it is related to banking or approved by the Ministry of Finance."

"Hmm, HSBC's holding of Wharf's shares carries some integrity risk, but the risk is not significant. It can continue to hold the shares or sell them."

“Michelle, you must know that I will soon have $800 million. Please help convey my intentions to the higher-ups.”

Michelle chuckled and said, "You haven't asked for my opinion yet."

Do I need to ask?

"What do you think?"

“Alright,” Sin Yiu-man shrugged. “What suggestions do you have?”

“I suggest you name your price HK$15.”

"Okay, the board will take your suggestion into consideration."

“Don’t rush, I have another suggestion,” Michelle said, suppressing a laugh. “I suggest you bribe Manager Morgan.”

“Okay, the board of directors has adopted your suggestion. If you don’t mind, you can stay here tonight. I’ll let you do as you please.”

Michelle glared at Sin Yiu-man. "I don't like this kind of joke."

"You were the one who started the joke."

"Fuck you."

“Yeah, come on.”

"Puji" (a vulgar expression).

"Okay, I'm a bastard."

"I apologize to you, my attitude was terrible."

Sin Yiu-man shrugged. "I didn't take it to heart. I'm just in a bad mood today?"

I haven't been in a good mood lately.

"why?"

"My wedding date has been set."

Sin Yiu-man stopped what he was doing, looked at Michelle earnestly, and said, "Send me a telegram if you need advice."

"I'm not sure if I need your advice."

"Those who write love proverbs don't understand love at all, without exception. Those who write love stories also don't understand love, and may never have even tasted its flavor. Once they do, they simply can't write sweet love stories."

"Didn't William Maugham understand either?"

"Ah, he should know. Someone told me that the old man is a bastard."

Michelle asked in surprise, "You have a relationship with him?"

“My Friendship Films report mentioned a publishing house at 84 Charing Cross Road, which is mine. In order to win the copyright of William Maugham’s works, the publishing house sent a female editor to contact him, and he ran off with the female editor.”

"Ha!" Michelle laughed loudly, "Did you get the copyright?"

"He dared not refuse; that bastard has a thing for married women, he hasn't lived enough yet."

"So, what he said is based on experience?"

"uh-huh."

"You're even worse than him?"

"He's just a nobody, not qualified to be compared to me, so trust me, I can give you some good advice."

“I’ll consider it if needed.” Michelle paused, then said, “When will the other guest arrive?”

"We arranged to meet at six." Xian Yaowen glanced at his watch. "It's still early, how about a drink first?"

"beer."

"We have some beer from Düsseldorf at home, would you like to try some?"

"German beer, you can try it."

"OK."

Sin Yiu-man went downstairs, carried an ice bucket to the rooftop, opened two bottles, clinked the bottles together, and handed one to Michelle.

Michelle took a sip, glanced at the label on the beer bottle, and said, "It's an unknown brand. Why did you choose this brand?"

“I have a German assistant, and she recommended me.”

"An assistant from Jinji Trading Company?"

“You used to avoid mentioning Jinji Trading Company today.”

Michelle chuckled. "You know I know, don't you?"

"It's not a secret; too many people know about it."

When do you plan to transform your business?

"At any time, I'm always watching."

"Before the war ended?"

"uh-huh."

“Adam, I’m jealous of your business acumen. I’m interested in all of Jinji Trading Company’s businesses except for smuggling.”

"There is room for negotiation, but at a high cost."

Michelle nodded. “I understand. The profits from smuggling have spun off other businesses, and Golden Seasons Trading Company is not short of money. At the end of last month, I had dinner with the other shareholders of Ritz Garden, and everyone was very satisfied with the profits of Ritz Garden. They are planning to give you a yacht as a gift; you can specify which one you want.”

"Camp & Nicholson's Nardella motorboats."

"Good taste, but I don't know if it can be delivered before the Lunar New Year."

"I am not in a hurry."

"Zheng Yueying was also mentioned."

Sin Yiu-man said excitedly, "It's pointless to talk to me about this. My sister was only sixteen years old when she was forcibly conscripted to work for the intelligence agency."

“The intelligence agencies have always done things shadily.” Michelle picked up her bottle and tapped it against Sin Yiu-man’s. “I don’t really know how much profit is involved in that area, but they seem to care a lot about it.”

“I don’t know either, and I never care.” Xian Yaowen picked up the wine bottle and toasted Michelle. “I have my bottom line; there are some things I won’t touch.”

"Cheers!"

They chatted casually as the meat skewers were skewered. Sin Yiu-man put a few oysters on the charcoal grill, then placed a pig brain in an aluminum lunchbox, along with a box of vermicelli mixed with a tiny bit of shark fin as a garnish. He didn't dare add too much, fearing that too much mercury intake would harm his health.

Michelle was also interested in grilling meat and continued to help out, placing skewers of meat on the charcoal grill and grilling them in a very professional manner.

At six o'clock sharp, the first batch of skewers came off the grill, and Bao Yugang arrived.

"Bao Yugang, a business prodigy from Shanghai. Michelle Morgan, VIP Services Manager at HSBC."

As soon as Sin Yiu-man finished his introduction, Michelle couldn't help but marvel, "Adam actually knows him."

Bao Yugang was filled with excitement. The possibility of such a young female manager climbing the ranks step by step through her own abilities was almost zero. The most likely possibility was that she was the daughter of some HSBC shareholder. Mr. Xian did not speak recklessly and actually introduced him to an outstanding HSBC executive.

"Mr. Morgan, hello, I am Bao Yugang."

“Mr. Bao, you may call me by my first name, Michel.” Michel shook hands with Bao Yugang. “How do you and Adam know each other, Mr. Bao?”

“Michelle, Mr. Bao is a client of Jin Fugui Holdings.” Xian Yaowen handed a skewer to Bao Yugang. “Mr. Bao, please feel free to eat skewers, don’t be shy.”

Bao Yugang thanked him, took the skewers, picked up one at random, and began to eat them elegantly.

Upon hearing that Pao Yu-Kong was a client of King Fu Gui Holdings, Michelle immediately guessed that Sin Yiu-Man wanted to invest in Pao Yu-Kong's business and couldn't help but admire Sin Yiu-Man's keen observation skills.

Pao Yue-kong was still on HSBC's initial review list, and there was still a long way to go before contact was made. However, Sin Yiu-man had taken the lead, and it was unclear what made him believe that Pao Yue-kong was worth investing in.

Or, is it a case of spending a fortune to buy a horse's bones?
Michelle pondered the matter in her mind, but stopped probing aloud. She already had the answer; there was no need to test her further.

They ate barbecue skewers and drank beer, never mentioning business or politics, just chatting casually, focusing on food and drinks, and discussing food from all over the world.

After finishing their meal, the three left the stone table and went to the edge of the rooftop, where they enjoyed their wine while watching the lights of countless homes.

Xian Yaowen pointed to the unfinished restaurant and said, "Michelle, I have invited several chefs from Shanghai. This building is for them. I will be entertaining guests there with delicacies."

“I don’t want to be a guest sitting there.”

"You don't even deserve to sit in here. You always come empty-handed. We're lucky if you get some skewers."

Michelle chuckled, “It seems like you’re the one who wouldn’t let me bring a gift.”

"So no matter how well you speak Shanghainese or Cantonese, it doesn't mean you understand Chinese people, and you can't even tell if they're just being polite."

Michelle laughed heartily, "Okay, I'll include a greeting next time."

Sin Yiu-man raised a bottle to Pao Yu-kang as a gesture of respect, saying, "Mr. Pao, I still have a lot of business to do in Taipei. I'll be going there in a couple of days. I'll have my secretary handle things with you from now on. Please bear with me."

"Mr. Xian, you flatter me. I respect you."

"cheers."

At 8:10, the barbecue party ended, and Sin Yiu-man headed to Ritz Garden for the next event.

Upon arriving at the general manager's office, Xian Yaowen asked Zhang Li, who had risen to offer his seat, "Is Lan Qiongying still here?"

"It's still there, but it will only last until the end of the month."

"They got together?"

"As you think, sir."

Sin Yiu-man nodded. "Is business going smoothly?"

"The revenue of nightclubs and karaoke bars is steadily increasing. Since the ice rink started hosting competitions, it has attracted more and more customers, mainly teenagers. On weekends, it is so crowded that it can't accommodate everyone. But some people outside are envious of the ice rink's business. Yueyuan Amusement Park is already building its own facilities. I've been thinking about how to face the competition these past few days."

“If the other party doesn’t resort to underhanded tactics, you can compete using business methods. The significance of the ice rink to Retiro Garden is not profit; making a little more or a little less doesn’t matter. To congratulate the competitor, you can hold a promotional event. You can think of the specifics yourself.”

"it is good."

"continue."

"The swimming pool is currently hosting the 50-meter freestyle amateur championship, and the women's youth group competition will be held tomorrow. There will be a lot of people coming to watch the competition."

Sin Yiu-man chuckled and asked, "Have you invited any amateur swimming associations to participate?"

"The referee was sent by the association. Hong Kong's seed player, Yip Lai-fong, is also participating. If nothing unexpected happens, she will be the champion tomorrow."

"I've heard of her. Tomorrow, I'll have someone specifically protect her and make sure she doesn't get hurt here."

Zhang Li chuckled and said, "Ye Lifang is very likely to participate in the Olympics next year. I dare not be careless and have already made arrangements."

Is the first Hong Kong Swimming Open going to be held next month?

"The date has been set. It will be held on September 8th at the Kowloon Swimming Shed. I plan to select a few swimmers to represent the Ritz Garden Swimming Club in the competition."

Sin Yiu-man nodded in satisfaction. “This arrangement is quite good. Give some bonuses for good rankings. Don’t be stingy, give more. Also, keep an eye on the formation of the Hong Kong swimming team. Ritz Garden can provide comprehensive sponsorship, including training expenses, athlete subsidies, and travel expenses to Helsinki. Don’t be afraid to spend money. I will explain to the shareholders.”

"Understood." Zhang Li nodded and continued, "The Snooker International Invitational Tournament is being prepared and is expected to take place in late November."

"Have you figured out how to recoup your costs?"

“We have a detailed plan,” Zhang Li said confidently.

"Give me a detailed plan before noon the day after tomorrow."

"Ok."

"I had dinner with Michelle tonight, and she told me that the shareholders are planning to reward me with a yacht. You deserve a lot of credit for the success of Ritz Garden, and you should definitely be rewarded."

Sin Yiu-man stood up, walked to the executive chair, and patted Zhang Li on the shoulder. "I promised you the big prize a long time ago, but the time isn't right yet, so we'll have to wait a bit longer. The smaller prize will arrive before the end of the year. As for what it is, I'll keep you in suspense for now. In short, it won't disappoint you."

Zhang Li was slightly excited. "I owe everything I have today to your guidance, sir. I will not let you down."

Sin Yiu-man patted Zhang Li on the shoulder again, "You keep working, I'm going to the nightclub."

Upon arriving at the nightclub entrance, I saw Manli waiting for me.

Xian Yaowen walked over, put his arm around her waist, and spun her around twice before stopping. He then pinched her chin and said, "You look great. I can't tell you stay up all night drinking every day. Where did you find such a treasure?"

Manli chuckled and said, "Boss, are you a fortune teller? You can tell someone has a new lover just by looking at their face."

"Anyone with eyes can tell, is this one for real?"

"I'd like to be serious, but they might not be willing. I'll just take it one day at a time." Manli leaned against Xian Yaowen, her eyes full of seductive charm, and said, "Boss, will I be able to catch your eye today?"

Sin Yiu-man slapped Man-lai's shapely buttocks. "Save your energy for flirting with your lover. But since you look so beautiful today, I'll give you a gift."

"what gift?"

"I haven't received my salary for two months. Go to the accountant and collect it. Buy whatever you want yourself."

"Hmph, so it wasn't the boss who wanted to give me a gift."

“If it wasn’t me who gave it to you, who else would it be? My salary is my personal salary, not the company’s.” Xian Yaowen pinched Manli’s chin and tugged at it. “Once you accept my gift, you’re mine. You have to listen to me and you’re not allowed to act like a flirt with me anymore.”

Manli smiled charmingly, "I can listen to the boss about anything, but not this. There will come a time when the boss will lose control."

"I can't do anything with you. Have the guests arrived yet?"

"We're already in the boss's private room."

"Okay, let's go."

Upon entering the private room, William Chan, whom I hadn't seen for a while, and Wang Shuning, who had made a fortune developing real estate in Kowloon Walled City, sat on the sofa, with two dancers sitting on either side of each of them.

"William, Mr. Wang."

William Chen, whose face was buried in Eileen's arms, looked over when he heard the sound, and the lipstick mark on his face disappeared into a smile. "Adam, you're late."

Sin Yiu-man walked over, sat down next to Eileen, and patted her thigh lightly.

Eileen understood, stood up and walked out. The other three dancers followed her out, leaving only Manli in the private room to pour wine for Xian Yaowen. After pouring, she handed the glass to him.

Sin Yiu-man raised his glass to William Chan and Wang Shuning, saying, "William, you must have something to talk to me about. Let's talk about it first, and then we can continue having fun after we're done."

Upon hearing this, Chen Weilian glanced at Wang Shuning.

Seeing this, Wang Shuning said straightforwardly, "Mr. Xian, it was actually my idea to invite you this time. There's something I'd like to ask you for help with."

“Wang Sheng, we are old acquaintances, you might as well speak frankly.”

“William and I made some money from building the last time, and we planned to continue building. But things changed a bit. It would cost us a lot more to acquire land, so much so that there would be no profit. After discussing it with William, we gave up the idea of ​​continuing to build and decided to find some other business to do.”

While observing Xian Yaowen's expression, Wang Shuning said, "After looking around for a few days, I couldn't find a suitable business. But I happened to hear that Mr. Xian and the policeman have opened a factory together and the business is booming. So I thought I'd talk to Mr. Xian about a collaboration."

"Wang Sheng, I don't know where you heard this news from, but I just want to confirm one thing: did you hear the whole story?"

Sin Yiu-man thought to himself that it would be strange if he hadn't heard the whole thing. The procedures for Happy Factory were handled by William Chan, and he was still making money from legal fees. Any "hearing about it by chance" was just empty talk.

"Adam, the king heard this from me."

Upon hearing Wang Shuning's explanation, William Chen knew things were going wrong. Adam was so shrewd; how could he not have guessed that the information had been leaked from here? He had no choice but to take over the conversation.

Sin Yiu-man chuckled at William Chan, “William, you were the first friend I made when I came to Hong Kong. It’s been almost two years now. There’s nothing between us that we can’t talk about.”

William Chen raised his glass. "It was my fault."

Sin Yiu-man raised his glass in response, "After you've had a drink, just tell me your thoughts."

"OK."

William Chen downed his drink in one gulp, put down his cup, and adjusted his posture. "Adam, Wang and I are planning to invest 100 million to start a factory with you."

"You know the conditions?"

"50% of the shares, 40% of the dividends."

Sin Yiu-man nodded, and after a moment's thought, said, "William, there's a business I was planning to run myself. It's a good business that can be done for a long time, but the investment period will be relatively long. There will be no dividends for the first three years, and dividends will be distributed at our discretion starting from the fourth year."

"doing what?"

As soon as William Chen finished speaking, there was a knock on the door of the private room.

Manli went to open the door, and a moment later whispered in Xian Yaowen's ear, "Boss, someone is calling you."

Sin Yiu-man nodded slightly, then said to William Chan and the other man, "Excuse me, I'll be there for a moment."

The phone call to Ritz Garden must be urgent, so Sin Yiu-man didn't dare delay and hurried to the general manager's office.

A moment later, he picked up the microphone and said, "It's me."

"it's me."

Upon hearing that it was Lu Yansu, Xian Yaowen asked, "What's the matter, you? What's the emergency?"

"I saw a drunk woman at a food stall on Stanley Street who looked a bit like Ms. Fei's sister."

"Are you sure you've got it right?"

"It's almost certain."

"Could you keep an eye on things there? I'll send someone over right away."

"I'm watching. We just chased away one with ill intentions."

"Thank you."

Sin Yiu-man hung up the microphone and immediately said to Tse Ting-yun, "Ting-yun, Bao-shu's older sister is drunk at a food stall on Stanley Street. Go and pick her up. If she's acting crazy while drunk, just force her."

"clear."

Xie Tingyun left, and Xian Yaowen returned to the private room, where the previous conversation continued.

"We produce sports balls, mainly basketballs, footballs, and volleyballs. The scraps can be used to produce small leather balls."

Wang Shuning frowned and said, "A ball can't sell for much money, right?"

"Adam, do you have sales channels?"

Xian Yaowen glanced at Wang Shuning's face and looked at Chen Weilian. "A month ago, I had a new partner in the United States. We are going to work together to create a sports ball brand. The basic operating idea is to use the funds for opening stores and marketing, and not to build our own production factory. Production will be outsourced to contract manufacturers."

"Is our factory just an OEM factory?"

"Correct."

How much money are you planning to invest in the US?

"The first phase is $50."

How many issues are there in total?

"It depends on the speed of expansion."

After a moment's thought, William Chen asked, "Adam, how determined are you to create this brand?"

Sin Yiu-man feigned displeasure, "William, all I can say is that I am very determined. I can't say more. If this has caused you any trouble, we can call it quits."

Actually, with your knowledge and connections, you don't need to cooperate with me. There are so many business opportunities available now; making quick money isn't difficult.

"Adam, please forgive me, but one million is not a small amount of money for me and the king. We must be careful."

“I understand your feelings, but I don’t understand your actions. You are very familiar with my previous cooperation model. Since you came to me to discuss cooperation, why ask so many questions?”

My cooperation model is that you provide the money, and I make the decisions. I am the leader, not an employee.

If you're looking for a worker, because of our friendship, no problem, I can work for you. But my asking price is a project size of no less than HK$1000 million, a guaranteed annual salary of £30, and a profit share of no less than 30%.

As he spoke, Xian Yaowen turned to look at Manli, "Manli, let them in."

As soon as he finished speaking, Sin Yiu-man stood up, buttoned his suit jacket, and said, "William, Mr. Wong, you two have fun and don't worry about the bill. I have something to attend to, so please excuse me."

Stunned by the rebuke, William Chen quickly regained his senses and said, "Adam, don't rush off, let's talk some more."

“William, I really have something to attend to; this isn’t an excuse.” With that, Xian Yaowen looked at Wang Shuning. “Mr. Wang, I’m sorry. I’ll host next time to apologize to both of you.” (End of Chapter)