money player

Sin Yiu-man and Fei Po-ki chatted briefly about whether herbal tea could cure diseases before getting back to the main topic.

“Once I joked with Guolan Chang, saying, “Your parents-in-law are reluctant to spend money on food and clothing, but I haven’t seen you keep a mistress outside. What do you do with the money you earn?”

He told me he divided his earnings into three parts: one part to buy property—he planned to buy a tenement building in Central or Nathan Road by the end of next year; one part to buy stocks, specifically HSBC and other foreign firms; and one part to buy gold bars and deposit them in overseas banks.

Upon hearing this, Fei Baoqi immediately understood Guo Lanchang's intention in dividing the money into three parts. She remarked, "Guo Lanchang has thought things through quite far ahead, and his plan is quite reasonable."

Sin Yiu-man waved his hand, "It's unreasonable, it's completely unreasonable."

"What's unreasonable?"

"On a small scale, too many people like Guolanchang can lead to poor currency circulation, which is detrimental to the local economy. On a larger scale, they value money too much, holding onto it tightly and spending every penny or two. It's not easy to make money from such people."

Fei Baoqi chuckled and said, "Is that unreasonable to you?"

"Yes, it's very unreasonable. The emerging first generation of rich people should spend their money wisely, have a good lifestyle, and be particular about their clothing, food, housing, and transportation. They should not be wasteful, but they also cannot be too stingy."

When I first arrived in Hong Kong, I was determined to move to The Peak, but after I learned more about it and realized that I was qualified to move there, I lost interest.

The residents at the summit, whether British or prominent Chinese families, are already showing signs of decline. It's only a matter of time before they are overtaken by the first generation of wealthy individuals, and this will happen very quickly—within ten years, they will be surpassed as a whole.

"Are you saying that Hong Kong's prominent families have no future?"

“Basically,” Sin Yiu-man nodded slightly, “I don’t like them. Their spending habits are already set in stone, and they spend money on inexplicable things that have no meaning at all.”

Fei Baoqi chuckled, "It means nothing to you?"

"I use an English-speaking butler, go horse racing on weekends, and my daily food, clothing, and other necessities are all British-style. These are basically areas I don't work in. The only meaningful thing about me to them is the title of 'Bra Queen'."

"Hehehe." Fei Baoqi laughed, "Secret lingerie is quite nice. Some people in Taipei wear it, but it's too expensive. A set costs several hundred dollars. If Baoshu hadn't given it to me, I wouldn't have been willing to buy it."

“Several hundred yuan is the black market price, several times more expensive than the official price.” Xian Yaowen glanced at Fei Baoqi’s chest. “Let me think about it carefully and design a Secret Affair series specifically for Sister.”

Fei Baoqi said coquettishly, "Are you trying to kill me?"

"what."

As he walked out of the hotel, Sin Yiu-man did not continue talking about the "first generation of rich." Hong Kong is in an era of decline of traditional aristocratic families and rise of grassroots tycoons. He had ideas for shaping the first generation of rich with perfect values—values ​​on consumption, business etiquette, and dating.

Simply put, it's about using Juliet's brand to marry Friendship Films stars and conducting business in salons and sports fields.

Product placement in movies is entering its 2.0 era, expanding from film placement to celebrity placement. Styling, clothing, jewelry, watches, bags, cosmetics, and even plastic surgery should all be reflected in celebrities, projecting a certain lifestyle.

The magazine "Style" is already on the agenda, and Juliet Brand Management will dedicate itself to the public welfare cause of luxury brands, guiding potential customers to form the concept of luxury consumption, expanding the luxury market, and benefiting all luxury brands.

Of course, he must be willing to invest in any brand he sets his sights on, in order to create a harmonious relationship where each brand is interdependent. Brands that benefit from his investment but do not reciprocate should not remain in the luxury goods industry; they should instead go down to the street market and connect with the general public.

The Continental Hotel on Beach Road, a hotel slightly lower in class than the Raffles Hotel, was one of the three major hotels in Singapore before the war. After the war, business was not very good, and some floors were rented to the British army to earn a stable rent.

In the coffee shop on the second floor, a man and a woman in their early twenties were sitting there.

The men were half-Tang and half-Fan, with Tang features not being very obvious. The women were also half-Tang and half-Fan, with Fan features only reflected in their eyes, which were a mixture of black with dark brown and gray. Apart from that, the women had all Chinese features.

The man is Zhao Jiade, Zhao Yage's eldest son, and the woman is Song Chengxiu, Zhao Jiade's fiancée. They are both alumni of New York University and graduates from last year.

"Gade, do you think he'll arrange positions for us?" Song Chengxiu asked, taking a sip of coffee.

"Yes, they will." Zhao Jiade nodded, glancing towards the entrance of the coffee shop, then whispered, "When they arrive, don't turn around."

As Sin Yiu-man and Fei Po-ki entered the coffee shop, they didn't need to look around; the first thing they saw was Zhao Jiade. Without even needing to identify him, they could tell at a glance that this was the person they wanted to see.

He stepped forward. "Mr. Zhao Jiade?"

“Mr. Xian, I am Zhao Jiade.”

Xian Yaowen shook hands with Zhao Jiade, then with Song Chengxiu, and sat down opposite Zhao Jiade and Song Chengxiu without introducing Fei Baoqi.

As soon as he sat down, he stared at Zhao Jiade, then at Song Chengxiu, before returning his gaze to Zhao Jiade's face.

"Mr. Zhao, what were you doing last summer vacation?"

Zhao Jiade answered truthfully, "I was an intern on Wall Street."

Which company?

"Hornblower and Weeks."

How much is the daily wage?

"It's $20 in the first week, and it'll be $23 in the third week."

Sin Yiu-man raised his hand to summon a waiter, "Why is $2 short?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Jiade was extremely shocked. He hadn't expected Xian Yaowen to know so much about the internship market on Wall Street. After calming himself down, he said, "Because I am a Jew holding a Nationalist government passport."

New York University is very close to Wall Street, within walking distance. Being close to the source gives NYU students an advantage. Before summer vacation, NYU students can register at the Career Center and put their names in the "Commercial Banks and Wall Street" category. The Career Center will then send the registrants' resumes to investment banks on Wall Street. Once selected, the registrant can participate in summer internships.

During the internship, the starting daily wage was $20, an extremely high price that was obtained through connections with New York University. The daily wage ceiling was $25, with the $5 difference depending on individual ability.

Of course, students who can become interns can already be considered elites, because only a little over ten students can get an offer each year, and the Stern School of Business has had about 300 graduating students in recent years, with an internship rate of only about 3%.

Sin Yiu-man nodded noncommittally. "What sports do you like?"

"Basketball, running."

Do you know Sidney Tannenbaum?

Sidney Tanenbaum, the former captain of the New York University basketball team, now plays for the Baltimore Bullets. Born in 1925, he is close in age to Zhao Jiade. The two had overlapping years in school and were both Jewish.

"He and I are friends, we see each other often, and we occasionally play ball together."

“We’ll meet at the Sigirah bus stop on route 16 at six o’clock tomorrow morning. There’s a seawall trail there, which is perfect for running.” Sin Yiu Man chuckled. “Be prepared, I’m a fast pace, and I hope you can keep up.”

Zhao Jiade smiled and replied, "I'm not a slow runner either."

"One glass of butter, one glass of Hainan Island tea, thank you." After speaking with the waiter who came over, Xian Yaowen said to Zhao Jiade, "OK, let's reschedule our conversation for tomorrow morning. Now, could you please excuse me? I'd like to speak with Miss Song alone."

Zhao Jiade turned to look at Song Chengxiu, gave him an encouraging look, and without saying a word, immediately got up and left.

Xian Yaowen's gentle gaze fell on Song Chengxiu's face. "Miss Song, what kind of future do you hope for? To stay at home and be a good wife and mother, or to make your mark in the business world?"

Song Chengxiu rubbed his fingers together, thought quietly for a while, and said, "I want to put what I've learned into practice."

Sin Yiu-man nodded slightly. "Is your period regular?"

Song Chengxiu stared at Xian Yaowen in surprise, not understanding why the other party would ask such a presumptuous question.

As if he knew what she was thinking, Sin Yiu-man said with a smile, "Menstruation is a barometer of women's health. Working with me is not tiring, but the pressure will be great. You need to be healthy and have a strong heart."

Song Chengxiu suddenly realized, "Mr. Xian, I am in good health. I exercise every morning, rain or shine."

"Can you accept a long-term separation from Mr. Zhao?"

How long?

"Wherever I am, you will be. You have two long holidays every year, so it's convenient for you to do whatever you want. Whether you can reunite with Mr. Zhao during other times depends on fate."

Song Chengxiu didn't think for long before saying, "I can accept it."

Sin Yiu-man pointed to his watch, “9:27:12. Starting at 28:00, you will work for me. You will start work at 6:30 in the morning and there is no fixed time to leave. You will be on probation for three months with a weekly salary of $100. We will discuss the formal compensation after three months.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Song Chengxiu stood up and bowed slightly to him, "Mr. Xian, I'm ready."

"You have half an hour to explain the situation to Mr. Zhao and to go to your room to pack your things."

"Yes."

As soon as Song Chengxiu left, Fei Baoqi immediately said, "Will this Miss Song become another Secretary Long?"

"It's possible."

"A starting salary of $400, that's a very high salary."

Sin Yiu-man picked up his coffee and took a sip. “Working with me requires both brains and physical strength. The workload will be very heavy. If you can hold on, you’re worth a $400 monthly salary. If you have the potential, adding another zero is not a problem.”

"If I were twenty years younger, I would also help you with your work."

Sin Yiu-man chuckled and said, "You? If you and Bao-shu knelt down and begged me together, you could get a maximum of 400 NT dollars."

Fei Baoqi pouted and said coquettishly, "Is that all I'm worth?"

"No, your abilities are only worth 100 NT dollars."

Fei Baoqi picked up her coffee cup. "I'll splash it all over your face."

"what."

……

In 1950, the mainland promulgated the "Provisional Regulations on Mining," which clearly stipulated that all gold mines would be nationalized and private gold mining was prohibited. In April of this year, the Hunan Provincial Public Security Department issued an "Order on Banning Illegal Gold Mining," listing Longhui as a key area for rectification.

Hunan is a prime location situated on a gold mine, and Liuduzhai in Longhui County is known for its gold mining, where people dig for gold dust with shovels and scoop up gold grains with ladles. In good years, they can extract several ounces of gold from the river in a single month.

However, since the crackdown on gold mining began, the original gold mining boats could no longer be used, and everything was back to the pre-Republic of China era. They had to switch to night panning and scattered panning, forming small groups of three to five people, using shovels and wooden basins instead of the old gold mining boats, and concentrating on panning for gold in the Chenshui and Xiyangjiang tributaries.

Even so, it's still impossible to mine for gold peacefully. Even if you're not caught while working, it's easy for someone to be lying in wait in your hideout. People who don't want to farm but still want to keep mining for gold have no choice but to leave their hometowns and go north, as far as Mohe, or south, as far as Tengchong.

There were about three hundred people who came to Tengchong. The leader was called Jin Pusa Liu Jinshan, who was the master of Jin Cave. The technical backbone was Chen Sandou Chen Xianda, who was called the manager of Jin Cave or Jin Batou in the trade.

In Liuduzhai, the sluice box is called a "golden bucket." Chen Xianda was in charge of the golden bucket and once set a record of producing 6 taels of gold in a single month, which was three times the normal output. Thus, he was given the elegant nickname "Chen Sandou" (Chen the Three Buckets).

The accountant was Luo Qiwen, who used to run the Longtaichang Gold Shop in the town. He acted as an agent for gold farmers to exchange placer gold and lend money for short-term gold accounts. He used a 20-centimeter-long ivory abacus for bookkeeping.

The security captain was Yuan Laosi, a former member of the Xiangxi Self-Defense Force. At the end of last year, he was hired by Liu Jinshan to lead 12 Hanyang-made guard boats to protect the cave and repelled several bandits.

These few people, along with another 172 gold miners, are now busy loading supplies onto ships at the Kwai Chung Wild Wharf.

They will soon set sail for Mozambique as international volunteers to teach scientific gold mining techniques, improve the physical fitness of the Mozambican people, and build up their strength against Portuguese colonialism.

On the dock.

Su Lizhen sat in the car, watching the employees of the Tangshan company distribute certificates to the gold miners who had freed up their hands.

Regardless of where the gold miners originally came from, they are now all from Macau, holding Portuguese passports issued by Lisbon, and studying in Portugal's "overseas territories".

high places.

Qi Weiwen held a telescope in his hand, observing each gold miner, trying to distinguish the restless ones among them.

Currently, the Portuguese colonial authorities in Mozambique have designated gold as a royal monopoly mineral. Individuals who pan for gold must register with the colonial government and pay a 15% to 20% license tax, and also have to deal with the police and gold thieves who are almost certainly backed by the Portuguese.

Generally speaking, if you can keep half of the gold after paying taxes, it's considered a blessing from God, or perhaps a blessing from the Jews... (End of Chapter)