money player

The gold they painstakingly extracted, they couldn't even keep half of it. Such exploitation is utterly inhumane; the world shouldn't be like this.

If this batch of gold-digging veterans from Liuduzhai were to be poured into Mozambique, it would surely produce a chemical reaction.

Qi Weiwen observed and marked several suspected troublemakers, then quietly left, returned to his residence, compiled a list, and prepared to send it to Gold Coast.

Su Lizhen left a little later, watching the large ship sail away and the barge return to Sham Shui Po pier before she started her car.

Inside the car, she held a roster, circled several names, and wrote annotations next to them. After finishing, she placed the roster on the passenger seat.

"Chu Ning, give it to Amin later."

"Ok."

Back in her office on Beihe Street, Su Lizhen flipped through Jinzhao Group's export orders and then through the accounts for August. This month's receipts were US$1,914,200, accounts payable were US$1,577,900, and the balance was US$336,300, which could be considered as gross profit.

She fiddled with the abacus on the table, calculated the net profit, and then calculated her dividends and bonuses. A smile appeared on her lips. "Not bad, I can get more than 3 US dollars this month."

She set the abacus aside, opened the drawer, and pulled out the notebook with the Japanese flag on the cover from a stack of notebooks.

Upon flipping through the pages, one could see tables drawn on the paper, with land prices for various locations in Tokyo listed in the tables.

The Sin family has been acquiring tenement buildings and purchasing small plots of land in prime locations. Starting with her, the women of the Sin family are also engaging in these two activities individually. Not to mention outsiders, competition has already emerged within the Sin family itself.

The women clasped together and, to avoid internal strife, came up with a plan to draw lots. Starting from the day the lots were drawn, the first person to draw a lot could make a move freely for a month, while the others remained still. After a month, the others would draw lots again, and so on, until everyone had a turn.

Whether you can find a good building or a good location depends on your luck. The window is one month, and it won't open after that.

She didn't draw lots, and she couldn't let her money sit idle. She had already planned to keep a maximum of 20,000 to 30,000 HKD on hand to deal with any unexpected situations. She would invest the rest of her money, starting with buying property and reinvesting the rental income. Since she couldn't buy property in Hong Kong right now, she had no choice but to look elsewhere.

After reviewing the land price list, she found a plot of land she liked. She took out a map of Tokyo, located the location of Ginza 4-chome, and then the location of Wako Department Store. Based on the scale, she estimated the distance between the plot and Wako Department Store and decided to acquire the 1200-tsubo plot.

The land price is 3.2 yen per ping (a unit of area in Taiwan), which translates to approximately 10.7 US dollars. She has a shortfall of over 7 US dollars.

The shortfall is easy to cover; she can borrow HK$40 from any bank. The interest for a six-month loan isn't much, but it depends on whether the interest is worth it.

Just as I was thinking of going home after get off work to browse through my father's bookshelf and learn about the current state of development in Tokyo, the intercom rang. The secretary informed me that He Rihua from Huachang Company was visiting.

She felt a surge of joy, as if she could earn an extra income.

After tidying up the desk and sitting for a while, the secretary brought He Rihua in.

He Rihua bypassed the secretary and went straight to the executive desk to sit down. "Mr. Su, as long as you agree to the price of $180, we can sign the contract now, and the payment will be made to you within three days."

Su Lizhen said calmly, "Manager He, we have talked twice, and I have clearly told you that Jinzhao Group's bottom line is $185."

"Can't the price be lowered?"

"It can't be lowered."

After pretending to think for a long time, He Rihua said, "Okay, 185 it is, but I want an extra 500 tons."

“Okay,” Su Lizhen readily agreed, “but the contract can only specify 1500 tons. Manager He will have to apply for the remaining 2000 tons himself.”

"Mr. Su, let's just not sign a contract, pay the money and deliver the goods at the same time, and pretend this transaction never happened."

“Manager He, this is perfect. However, the 1500 tons of tungsten ore from Jinzhao Group have been stored in the Wharf public warehouse, and the export license has been issued. It is impossible to transport them away quietly.”

“Alright.” He Rihua readily compromised, “Let’s just write 1500 tons in the contract.”

"no problem."

Speaking of tungsten ore alone, Jinzhao Group's position is comparable to Nvidia holding H100. In the entire Hong Kong, and even in the entire Asia, only Jinzhao Group can produce 3500 tons.

Moreover, it's no secret that Huachang Company ships tungsten ore through Taiwan before finally exporting it to the United States; everyone knows it. Besides, tungsten ore is a business that's quickly settled, not something that can be done slowly and steadily. Su Lizhen could easily take a strong stance.

The contract was signed on the spot, and Su Lizhen used the radio to notify Shekou to contact her to order the goods.

The mainland supply price is US$95 per ton, and the gross profit of 3500 tons is US$315,000. Since futures trading will be carried out later, a profit split of 70/30 was agreed upon with the mainland beforehand. Today, the group's actual gross profit is US$220,500.

With this gross profit, Su Lizhen can earn an additional $2, further reducing the funding gap for purchasing the land.

On Sin Yiu-man's side.

After leaving the hotel, he took Fei Baoqi for a stroll around. It was Fei Baoqi's first time in Singapore, and they wanted to visit a few places worth checking out.

During the temporary lull in the War of Resistance against Japan in the early 1930s, taking photos for tourism in large and medium-sized cities transformed from a niche luxury to a middle-class trend. Due to the fear of impending separation or death, taking photos became a necessity for preserving wartime memories.

After the victory in the War of Resistance against Japan, mobile photo booths at tourist attractions drove down the price of photos to rock bottom. You could get a photo for the price of a bowl of plain noodles, and it would only take five minutes or even three minutes to get the photo. Photo frames became popular decorations in urban homes. For many people, when they went out to travel, seeing the scenery was secondary, and taking photos was the main focus.

Fei Baoqi isn't that extreme, but taking photos is an essential part of traveling.

At the Red Light Pier, Sin Yiu-man, with his camera in hand, captured several beautiful moments of Fei Baoqi against the backdrop of the towering barges.

Fei Baoqi returned from her shooting location, brushing her bangs aside as the sea breeze blew by, "Yaowen, shall we take a picture together?"

Sin Yiu-man put the camera back into its case and smiled at Fei Po-ki, saying, "Taking photos will trap a person's soul in the film. I firmly believe in this statement. I generally don't take photos unless absolutely necessary."

Fei Baoqi pouted and said coquettishly, "You don't want to take a picture with me, do you?"

Sin Yiu-man put his arm around Fei Po-ki's waist and lightly touched her face with his finger. "Taking photos is for future memories and remembrance. I live in the present and look forward to the future. I don't like to think about the past, nor do I like to be reminded of people by objects. If I miss my sister or my sister misses me, I can see her with just one plane ticket. If I miss her in the morning, I can be yelling in the afternoon."

Fei Baoqi blushed with shyness, "You speak so rudely."

"Isn't it better to be a little vulgar?" Xian Yaowen pinched Fei Baoqi's cheek. "All the elegant pretense is just for that last vulgar thing. Sister, I can be elegant or vulgar. I'll play the elegant game with you first, and then I'll show you how vulgar I can be later."

"You're so annoying!" Fei Baoqi punched Xian Yaowen's chest with her little fist. "You little devil!"

A few meters away, Song Chengxiu looked at the cringe-worthy scene and suddenly wanted to learn to smoke. Xian Yaowen gave her a lesson: a secretary not only has to assist the boss in doing his job, but also seems to have to endure such scenes.

She had already tasted the forbidden fruit and was in the stage of indulging in its pleasures, so she was not feeling well.

"This is only the first morning, how are we going to get through the rest?"

She turned to look for Xie Zhanran and his companion, noticing their eyes darting around, constantly on guard. Putting herself in their shoes, she realized she probably couldn't earn the money of a bodyguard, and wondered how they managed to get by.

Singapore is small, but its tourist attractions are scattered throughout the country. After Fei Baoqi had seen enough of the Red Light Pier, Xian Yaowen didn't rush to take her to the next tourist spot. The two went to the Chinatown market, bought ingredients for hot pot, and then bought a large clay pot for decocting external medicine at a pharmacy that offered decoction services. After that, they headed to the MacRitchie Reservoir causeway.

The afternoon sun was a bit too hot, casting dappled shadows through the dense foliage on the path along the embankment. Sin Yiu-man chose a shady spot facing the open water, where he could enjoy the shimmering lake view while avoiding the scorching sun.

A gentle breeze blew across the water, carrying a damp coolness that dispelled the often muggy afternoon heat.

Xie Zhanran and his group found a spot about ten meters away, a spot where they could keep Xian Yaowen and his companion within sight but not hear their conversation.

As Song Chengxiu watched Xian Yaowen unload the conspicuous large clay pot, a small burlap sack of charcoal, and two baskets full of ingredients purchased from the market from the car, she once again marveled at the unconventional way this boss did things.

While others stroll and enjoy the scenery by this picturesque reservoir, he, on the other hand, immediately set up an outdoor hot pot.

Xian Yaowen took the items to the stream, picked up a few pebbles to build a simple stove, soaked the large earthenware pot in the stream water for a while, filled it two-thirds full with water, wiped the surface of the pot dry, and sat on the stove.

Pick up a few dry branches by the stream, break them into small pieces five or six centimeters long, shape them into a rake with your left hand, and rake through the withered grass a few times, leaving fine grass fibers in your palm.

He picked up a dry, medium-sized pebble and placed it on a large pebble to dry. He pointed to the vegetable basket and said to Fei Baoqi, who was sitting on the pebble, "You're over forty years old, and you have no sense of propriety at all. Do you think you're eating at a restaurant? Go wash the vegetables."

Upon hearing this, Fei Baoqi playfully retorted, "Why don't we go to a restaurant to eat hot pot?"

There are no hot pot restaurants in Singapore.

“We don’t necessarily have to eat hot pot,” Fei Baoqi muttered.

"Get to work, or I'll spank your bottom until it's swollen."

"Humph!"

Exhaling stale air from both nostrils, Fei Baoqi got up to pick vegetables.

After resting for a while, Xian Yaowen flipped the pebbles over, went to the car to get beer and soda, soaked them in the stream, picked up the empty basket next to Fei Baoqi, and walked down the stream, picking up small shrimp along the way.

The stream is comparable to Kowloon Walled City, with a high volume of water. If possible, you can avoid killing shrimp that are too big or too small, and only select shrimp that are neither too big nor too small. These shrimp are the most fragrant when stir-fried.

It only takes seven steps to cook a meal; you only need to walk a short distance to make enough for two bowls.

He continued walking downhill, intending to catch some crabs. As he passed a small waterfall formed by a drop in elevation, he saw a strange little crab crawl into the rocks at the bottom of the water. He flipped over a rock, grabbed it, and examined it closely. Yes, it was a crab with a waist, common in the Yangtze River Delta. It shouldn't be found in Singapore.

Lifting the back of the crab reveals an indentation; with a little imagination, one can discern the outline of a Buddha image.

In his previous life, he went to the countryside in western Zhejiang and caught a lot of these "Buddha crabs". They have soft shells and not much meat. When stir-fried, they are eaten shell and all, and they are very fragrant, unlike mud crabs.

He drew a conclusion brought by someone from Jiangsu and Zhejiang: he ignored the mud crab and specifically looked for this kind of Buddha crab.

It seems that the Buddha Crab has connections and is doing quite well, living in a villa area with a very low density. It usually takes Cao Zhi three and a half poems to see one.

Because they are rare and an invasive species, he doesn't pick and choose, even those the size of a little fingernail.

In a short while, two bowls of crab were served.

Once ashore, search along the stream. Red amaranth, dog tooth flower, prickly amaranth, five-sided grass, Indian borage, and water mint are everywhere. Pick the tender ones and the ones with insects on them, and take a small handful of each.

Sin Yiu-man went upstream and returned to Fei Po-ki's side, where she had already washed and prepared the vegetables.

He left the wild vegetables to her to wash, while he used pebbles and mud to build a small pond by the stream. He scooped out the dirty water, filled it with clean water, transferred the crabs into the pond, and added a little salt.

Touching the pebbles drying in the sun, they were already hot. Holding one in my hand, I went to a large pebble, flipped it over, found a good angle, and smashed it heavily onto the large pebble.

Ding!
Sparks flew from the pebble as it hit the ground.

He picked up the small pebble, glanced at it, and then adjusted his angle to smash it at the large pebble.

After repeating this process three times, one corner of the pebble chipped off. He picked it up again and examined the cross-section. He saw fine, milky-white lines. Satisfied, he took out a dagger from his pocket, held the pebble in one hand and the dagger in the other, and used the back of the blade to cut the cross-section of the pebble in front of the grass.

Stab, sting.

Sparks fell on the grass, and after several repetitions, black smoke billowed from the grass. He picked up the grass and blew on it a few times, and the sparks ignited a prairie fire.

"Ah~"

Fei Baoqi let out a scream.

Sin Yiu-man looked back and saw a shrimp pinching the soft flesh between Fei Po-ki's fingers.

He flung away the rapidly burning straw in his hand and shouted, "Don't move! Don't move! The more you move, the tighter it will grip, and it might even pinch your fingers off!"

Fei Baoqi shook off the shrimp, "Don't talk nonsense, how could such small pliers pinch off a finger?"

"Of course you would! Look how pitifully you're screaming."

Fei Baoqi sensed the sarcasm in Xian Yaowen's words, glared at him, and then continued tidying up the shrimp.

He grinned, stomped out the straw on the ground, picked up some more, held it up to the stove, took out a lighter from his pocket, lit it, added dry branches and charcoal, and methodically started a fire.

Looking around, I spotted a wild bamboo plant. I broke off a few small branches, each about 8 millimeters thick, peeled them, and cut them into slightly thicker chopstick-sized pieces. I then put them into a clay pot to cook.

I went back to the redwood I had just picked out, found a broken branch on the ground, glanced at the break, it was half dry and not wet, it had been broken less than three months ago.

Using a dagger and a pebble as a hammer, cut to the appropriate length, peel and trim, slowly shaping one end into the shape of a spatula.

After the outline was completed, he began to carve along the stream, searching for pebbles.

In less than a minute, he spotted a thin, flat pebble. He flipped it over with his foot, and the other side was also quite flat. He pushed the pebble into the stream and stood still to finish the final shaping with his spatula.

Blanch the shaved spatula in a clay pot for a few seconds, then put it into the stove to roast.

Clean the thin pebbles and then build a stove.

Take the chopsticks out of the clay pot, hold them between twigs and roast them over the fire until they ooze water and release a fragrance. Then take the spatula out of the fire, scrape off the charred parts, and put the spatula head into the clay pot to cook.

Repeat this process twice, and you'll have a clean and hygienic spatula and chopsticks ready.

There are six pairs of chopsticks, one long and five short, with the long ones used as serving chopsticks.

He replaced the water in the clay pot, put it back on the stove, and told Fei Baoqi how long to blanch each type of wild vegetable. He sprinkled some water on the thin pebbles, which sizzled, but the pebbles did not break.

After the wok passed inspection, he poured a little oil on it and spread the dried shrimp on top.

He fished a bottle of beer from Liangshui Town out of the stream, pried off the cap with a dagger, took a sip, and let out a satisfied sigh. He then carried the bottle to Fei Baoqi and handed it to her.

Fei Baoqi brought the beer to her lips and took a small sip, a smile playing on her lips. "It's so refreshing to have a sip of ice-cold beer in this weather."

Xian Yaowen glanced at the wok, picked up two chilies and diced them in his hand, "Today is a perfect day for a picnic."

“We should have come in the evening; it’s too hot now.” As she spoke, Fei Baoqi pinched the chest of her cheongsam, lifting and releasing it.

Sin Yiu-man sprinkled diced chili peppers onto the wok, stirred them a few times with a spatula, sprinkled a little salt, stirred them slightly, took the bottle from Fei Po-ki, plugged the bottle opening, shook it a few times, leaving a small gap at the bottle opening, and sprayed beer onto the shrimp.

Simmer for a short while, then use a spatula to push the dried shrimp to one side, adjust the position of the wok, and carefully scrub the empty space clean. Scoop the crabs from the pond, and use your fingers as a brush to clean each crab thoroughly by the stream.

Pour oil into a wok, place the crab on the wok, and stir-fry it like you would stir-fry dried shrimp.

Fei Baoqi blanched the wild vegetables and, imitating Xian Yaowen's previous actions, used a branch as an insulation layer to support the edge of the casserole before trying to lift it. Xian Yaowen immediately stopped her, saying, "Don't move. Lifting a casserole requires skill. If you drop it, we'll all go hungry."

Fei Baoqi stopped what she was doing and muttered, "It's not like I've never been in the kitchen before. Do you think I don't know how to hold a hot bowl?"

“A clay pot is much hotter than a hot bowl.” Xian Yaowen took the branch from Fei Baoqi, placed it under the rim of the clay pot, held the branch with his fingers, and quickly carried the clay pot to the stream. He rinsed and changed the water in one go, and put the clay pot back on the fire. “It’s time to cut the meat. You help me.”

"it is good."

Without a cutting board, most of the meat cutting work is done by hand. A frozen sea bream is trimmed of excess parts by Sin Yiu-man and cut into slices as thin as cicada wings; fresh squid is scored with fine crisscross, and it will curl into beautiful rolls when blanched; beef and mutton are also cut into even thin slices.

His movements were fluid and graceful, with a peculiar rhythm, as if he were not preparing ingredients but performing a precise surgery.

Fei Baoqi, who was assisting him, was captivated by the sight. She had seen Xian Yaowen be elegant and sophisticated in social settings and strategize at the negotiating table, but she had never seen him so down-to-earth.

Sunlight filtered through the leaves, dancing on his focused profile, fine beads of sweat sliding down his defined jawline, exuding a vibrant, sensual tension.

"Yaowen, who did you learn all this from?" she couldn't help but ask curiously.

Sin Yiu-man glanced at her and said, “Sister, you’re misdirecting your curiosity. Although I’m not a fisherman, I grew up in the countryside by the sea. What’s so strange about me knowing how to cook?”

"Your skills go beyond just being able to cook."

"During the fall of Bao'an, the troops stationed there were the 108th Infantry Brigade of the 104th Division. The brigade commander was Chiba Yajiro, who was a gourmand and especially loved eating sashimi."

Xian Yaowen put the sliced ​​meat aside and wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Back then, I was a well-known traitor in the whole of Bao'an. The Japanese treated me like one of their own. I was even able to sneak into the brigade's kitchen. In order to get some good food, I learned knife skills from the cook for two years."

"No wonder." Fei Baoqi nodded. "Were you called a traitor back then?"

“That’s inevitable, but not many people will curse you to your face.” Xian Yaowen washed his hands by the stream, dried them, and sat down next to Fei Baoqi on a large pebble. “Sister, didn’t you want to start a business?”

"Yes, didn't I ask you to help me think of something?"

How much capital can you come up with?

"Twenty or thirty thousand is no problem."

"Dollar?"

“I don’t have that much money, in Taiwan Dollars.”

"Doesn't your sister know about the $500 million thing from before?"

“I know.” Fei Baoqi nodded. “Changtong only received a little bit of NT dollars, not much, and we don’t plan to touch that money.”

Sin Yiu-man pondered how much "not a lot" meant. Judging from Fei Po-chi's tone, it probably wouldn't exceed NT$10. Given Chen Chang-tung's position, the fact that he only received such a small amount after a kickback of US$65 basically indicates that someone who could represent the "public" was definitely involved in the currency exchange.

It's not hard to guess who it is; it's almost certainly that prince.

"30,000 NT dollars is a bit low. Sister, you should keep it for yourself. I'll help you with the initial investment."

Fei Baoqi shook her head and said stubbornly, "I don't want to use your money. I'll just use 30,000 yuan as capital to start a business."

"Okay, I'll help you think of a good business that can be started with 30,000 yuan."

"Ah."

Fei Baoqi rested her head on Xian Yaowen's shoulder, "I really want to stay here and not have to go back to Taipei."

Sin Yiu-man didn't reply, but simply tightened his grip on Fei Po-ki's waist.

a long time.

The water in the casserole was boiling. Xian Yaowen beckoned Fei Baoqi to sit down by the casserole and then whistled in the direction of Xie Zhanran and the others.

Xie Tingyun and Song Chengxiu walked over.

Using glass cups as dipping sauces, the four of them simply mixed water mint, chili, soy sauce, vinegar, and lime to make a dipping sauce, and then started eating hot pot.

With only one pair of serving chopsticks, Sin Yiu-man took the lead, skillfully cooking the meat and placing the cooked delicacies onto each person's plate.

The ingredients were extremely fresh, and the clear broth did not spoil their original flavor. Combined with the beautiful scenery of the lake and mountains and the rustic atmosphere, the heat did not dampen the group's good mood as they enjoyed the meal.

Fei Baoqi tried to cook the meat herself, but occasionally she overcooked the meat because she didn't control the heat well. Xian Yaowen would then put the meat in his own dipping sauce dish and cook a new batch for her.

Seeing him busy taking care of everything while she barely ate anything herself, Fei Baoqi picked up a piece of cooked mutton, hesitated for a moment, and then offered it to him, saying, "You eat too, don't just focus on me."

Sin Yiu-man bit into the mutton, a smile spreading across his face. As he chewed, he said to Song Cheng-xiu, "In front of Tongji Hospital, there's an office belonging to Jin Ji Agency. After you finish eating, go there and find Manager Zhou Zhan-yuan. Ask him for the key to the office next door."

That is the office of Friendship Films' Singapore branch, Friendship Star, an independently operated branch with separate accounts from the head office. Its business started with film production and distribution and gradually expanded into the broadcasting and television industries.

The phone company will be coming this afternoon to install a telephone. You can greet them, then plan the office layout, and purchase desks and office supplies.

As he spoke, he pointed at Xie Tingyun, "Get the money from her. Keep the receipts and invoices safe. I will personally pay the money first, and then I will reconcile accounts with Friendship Film Studio later."

"Ok."

Song Chengxiu nodded, without asking where to buy the desk and office supplies. She realized this was a test to assess her adaptability.

She quickened her eating pace.

Sin Yiu-man and Fei Po-ki ate very slowly, taking a few bites, clinking their bottles together, and taking a sip of wine.

Song Chengxiu left, Xie Zhanran was replaced by Xie Tingyun, and the two remained the same.

After a satisfying meal, Sin Yiu-man took Fei Po-ki's hand and strolled along the embankment.

The two walked aimlessly and chatted without any particular topic, quite leisurely.

Upon reaching a smooth, rocky embankment, where there was some shade from the trees, Xian Yaowen said, "Sister, shall we rest for a while?"

Fei Baoqi nodded indifferently, took Xian Yaowen's hand and walked up the stone wall, sat down and stretched, instantly revealing her charming curves.

Sin Yiu-man's gaze was drawn to the rounded curve, and he looked at it a few more times.

Fei Baoqi keenly caught his gaze and said with a grin, "Yaowen, do you like to peek?"

Sin Yiu-man shook his head. "Sister, there's no need for us to peek at each other."

Fei Baoqi shifted her hips, rested her head on Xian Yaowen's lap, gazed up at Xian Yaowen's face, and said dreamily, "Yaowen, I'm drunk, I want to take a nap."

Sin Yiu-man shook his head again, "Sister, you don't need to give me hints. I've already thought it through. In the first half, we'll go into the woods to experience the scorching heat and suffocation. In the second half, we'll go into the water to experience the heat and coolness."

Fei Baoqi's eyelashes fluttered a few times, her eyebrows lowered, she closed her eyes, and a blush spread across her cheeks as she quietly awaited the arrival of the wonderful feeling.

She didn't know when, but her body was floating upside down in mid-air, being carried on someone's shoulder and bobbing up and down. She closed her eyes and didn't look at the road, letting the man carry her to the ends of the earth.

After an unknown amount of time, she was placed on the ground, leaning against a tree, and a pair of burning lips gently pecked at her sweat-covered head. (End of Chapter)