money player

A little past eight o'clock.

Near the Cape Keo reefs, a speedboat is anchored on the sea, and several people are taking measurements with instruments. They are surveyors hired by Asia-talks, measuring the required height of a broadcast tower.

Asia-Talks, a company that primarily engages in matchmaking services, introduces beautiful girls to men in Jinshan. This is its nominal business. In reality, it is a radio station company owned by Jinji Trading Company (30%) and Friendship Film Industry (70%), operating Radio Asia.

Structurally, Radio Asia will have two subsidiary radio stations: Radio Asia Hong Kong (Ra-HK) and Radio Asia Singapore (Ra-SGP), but legally speaking, Radio Asia does not exist.

Rediffusion Radio operated a cable radio station because the UK did not allow private individuals to operate wireless radio and television stations; they could only operate "limited" radio stations. Once Rediffusion Radio's cable was cut, it could no longer broadcast to the outside world.

If you want to provide wireless broadcasting services to Hong Kong and Singapore, a feasible way is to build the transmission towers "overseas".

The Kat O Cape reefs are 500 meters away from the outlying island of Kat O. A 10-kilowatt transmitter mounted on a transmission tower a few dozen meters high is sufficient to provide signal coverage for the entire Hong Kong area.

With this series of actions, the non-existent Radio Asia naturally doesn't have to pay taxes. They only need to use red envelopes to create a soundproof barrier, causing some people to selectively become deaf and silent.

Well, it's basically not as cost-effective as paying taxes, but there's no other way for now, this is the only option.

Waters off the Riau Islands, Indonesia.

On a PT-103 torpedo boat, Xian Yuzhen leaned over the microphone and shouted to the cargo ship in front: "Listen up, cargo ship in front! We are the joint patrol team of Great Britain, Singapore and Indonesia. Stop immediately for inspection! Stop immediately for inspection!"

Xian Yuzhen called out twice, and seeing that the speed of the ship ahead was slowing down, she said to Major Subyanto, an Indonesian officer beside her, "Major Subyanto, the other side is refusing to cooperate. I think we can take coercive measures."

Upon hearing this, Subianto waved his hand, and two Oerlikon 20mm cannons immediately fired their August greetings at the cargo ship.

A series of high-frequency, sharp, metallic tearing sounds rang out, like a chainsaw cutting through steel plates, or like a giant stapler frantically striking at a rhythm of 10 to 12 times per second.

Xian Yuzhen covered her ears, ignoring the pattering sound, and turned her gaze to the feet of Oerlikon, admiring the pattering sound of the metal rain hitting the ground. She hummed the notes of "Wedding in a Dream" softly, her fingers moving up and down.

She hasn't practiced the piano for almost a month and is really afraid she'll get rusty.

When the drum magazine ran out of 60 rounds, she muttered to herself, "5.6 seconds. I train sometimes, but not often."

To calmly deal with a cargo ship, an elite machine gunner should be able to empty a 60-round drum magazine in 8 seconds.

Subianto waved his hand again, and the Marines who were already sitting on the assault boats waiting for orders rowed towards the cargo ship.

The scholar handed Xian Yuzhen a Type 24 rifle. Xian Yuzhen took it, quickly checked the 2x scope, pulled the bolt to check the magazine, and after confirming that everything was in order, she rested the gun on the scholar's shoulder and aimed at the cargo ship through the scope.

Lacking experience in shooting at sea, she took the opportunity to practice shooting at moving and swaying targets while swaying.

As the grappling hook from the assault boat was thrown onto the cargo ship, she pulled the trigger. The bullet hit a swaying man on the cargo ship's deck. She quickly pulled the bolt back to reload and fired another shot while she could still see the target.

As the target disappeared from sight, the Marines climbed onto the ship's railing. After a brief moment of vigilance, finding no other targets, she holstered her weapon and asked Subyanto, "Major Subyanto, gold or US dollars?"

"Give the US dollars to my wife."

"OK."

A few minutes later, the cargo ship sent a signal that it was "done". The PT-103 torpedo boat moved closer, and Xian Yuzhen and Subianto boarded the cargo ship and went down to the cargo hold, where they saw two marines using daggers to butcher frozen fish.

Every now and then, small gold bars would be dug out of the fish's belly and thrown onto the wooden box, making a clanging sound.

The scholar carried a bag to the wooden box, opened the bag, and took out a balance, a nitric acid bottle, a beaker, and sprue cutters, placing them aside. Then he picked up a gold bar, held it up to the light, and observed the color of the gold bar's surface.

Seeing that the gold bar was a bright orange-yellow color, he took out a steel needle from his body and scratched the surface of the gold bar, leaving a clear scratch.

He picked up the sprue cutters and cut several slits in the gold bar. He put the gold bar into a beaker, put on medical gloves, used a dropper to take nitric acid, and carefully dripped it onto the slits in the gold bar. After observing it for a few moments, he carried the beaker to Xian Yuzhen.

"It turned black and green, and there were bubbles. It should come from the Bukit Tinggi tin mine."

Xian Yuzhen glanced into the beaker, then turned to Subianto and said, "30% off."

Having already seen the beaker, Subiyanto readily nodded.

Xian Yuzhen reached into the canvas bag slung over her shoulder, took out an envelope, and handed it to Subianto, "For the brothers."

Subianto smiled and took it, patting it in the palm of his other hand. "I thank Miss Ba Wang on behalf of my brothers."

Xian Yuzhen smiled and said, "I'll have to trouble my brothers to take me to Batam Island later."

"no problem."

They butchered fish to extract gold, and the gold bars on the wooden box accumulated more and more. After a while, some team members brought over a few tin cans, broke one open, and poured out the gold nuggets sealed inside.

The scholar stepped forward to weigh it; it was a standard 500 grams. He winked at Xian Yuzhen, "Expert."

Xian Yuzhen nodded slightly and said to Subianto, "I want to take two bodies with me."

"Pick any one you like."

Nine o'clock sharp.

The first company meeting was held in Youxing's office.

Attendees included Sin Yiu-man, Song Seung-soo, Ouyang Shafei, Albert Odell, and Yang Pei-yun.

"Albert, is everything ready?"

"Ready."

“Show me.” With that, Sin Yiu Man turned to Yang Pei Yun and said, “Tell me, what are the differences in the aesthetic standards of Malays and Chinese towards women?”

After a moment's thought, Yang Peiyun said, "In terms of skin color, Malays prefer light brown or honey color, while Chinese value fair and delicate skin, often describing it as 'as white as porcelain.'"

Why is there this difference?

"It's probably because Malays are mainly engaged in farming and fishing, and their tanned skin symbolizes diligence. On the other hand, the Chinese are influenced by the Chinese tradition of valuing fair skin, associating it with boudoirs and scholarly families, implying a noble status that doesn't require manual labor."

Sin Yiu-man nodded slightly. "You may continue."

"In terms of physique, Malays prefer plumpness and roundness, emphasizing soft curves and maternal symbolism. Malay culture regards plumpness as fertility and abundance."

Chinese people prefer slender, petite figures, favoring a delicate, feminine silhouette. Early migrants to Southeast Asia were mostly laborers, often going hungry, so gaining weight was not an option. Gradually, a slim figure became a symbol of a prosperous life.

Yang Peiyun paused briefly, but seeing that Xian Yaowen did not interrupt, she continued, "In terms of hairstyle, Malays prefer traditional long hair in a bun or shoulder-length waves, paired with flowers or a veil to match the gown. Malay women accept Islamic etiquette, so their long hair needs to be covered."

Chinese people are influenced by Shanghai celebrities and like Shanghai-style finger waves or ear-length short hair. Short hair and perms represent modernity.

In terms of facial features, Malays prefer round, large eyes, full lips, and a moderately shaped nose, with an overall soft appearance, which is a tradition of the Malay-Indonesian archipelago.

Chinese people prefer oval faces, high nose bridges, cherry lips, and the proportions of the face (three sections and five eyes), which seems to be influenced by Ming and Qing dynasty paintings of court ladies and further reinforced by advertising posters in Hong Kong and Shanghai.

In terms of temperament, Malays prefer to be reserved, gentle, domestic, and speak softly. Malay society uses Adat to regulate women's speech and behavior.

Chinese people appreciate women who are dignified, well-educated, and possess a refined, scholarly air. Chinese families value the education of women in traditional virtues, emphasizing the dual image of a virtuous wife and mother, as well as a talented woman.

At this point, Yang Peiyun looked at Xian Yaowen, waiting for him to speak.

"Gone?"

"Gone."

"Tell me about your clothes."

"oh oh."

Yang Peiyun was slightly flustered. It was her first time attending a "business" meeting, so it was impossible for her not to be nervous.

In the minds of most Chinese in Singapore, a business clerk who doesn't have to work in the sun and wind is considered quite high-class, a higher class who has escaped the status of a low-level laborer. Even if they don't earn as much as a stage owner like Yang Peiyun, they are still highly regarded.

The underlying reason for this is respect for cultural figures.

Xian Yaowen gave Yang Peiyun an encouraging look. Yang Peiyun composed herself and said, "In terms of clothing, Malays like loose long shirts and skirts with brightly colored sarongs, emphasizing dignity and covering the body."

Chinese people like cheongsams or modern Western-style dresses, dresses, and high heels.

Sin Yiu Man nodded slightly, raised his hand and pointed to the blackboard where Odell had pasted photos, "From a Malay perspective, which of these women is the most beautiful?"

Yang Peiyun looked at the blackboard, glanced at it briefly, and pointed to a photo. "Mariani, this year's Miss Singapore, young men think she's the most beautiful."

“Older ones, like Malay men in their forties.”

“That one.” Yang Peiyun pointed to another photo, staring intently at the name on it, “Maria Menado.”

After carefully examining the photos of the two women, Sin Yiu-man felt that the latter, Maria Menardo, seemed like a woman who would settle down and live a domestic life, suitable to be kept at home as a wife, but a little awkward as a celebrity.

The former, Mariani, didn't quite fit his aesthetic, but her striking appearance made her stand out in the photo wall and perfectly suited to be the center of attention.

"Albert, introduce Mariani."

“Mr. Sin, after Mariani won the Miss Singapore crown, Run Run Shaw, on behalf of the Malay Film Company, invited her to make a film, but she declined.”

"Oh, do you know why you refused?"

“Not really.” Odel shook his head and pointed to another photo. “Saloma, Mariani’s sister, is a singer who has worked with many orchestras as the lead singer and aspires to be a real singer.”

"You look very mature. How old are you?"

"Fifteen."

Xian Yaowen looked at Yang Peiyun, "Do you know Zhang Zhongwen?"

"know."

Can Saloma be considered a Malaysian Zhang Zhongwen?

"It should be about the same."

Have you ever heard her sing?

"I've heard of her; she's no worse than Gu Wei."

Xian Yaowen looked at Ouyang Shafei and said, "Sign her, and her sister Mariani as well."

"Ok."

"Albert, what kind of movies do Malays like?"

"Films that you can sing, dance, and shout along to, such as Malay musicals, Indian or Indonesian musicals."

"Peiyun, which stage has Malay performers?"

"There aren't any now. There aren't many Malay guests at the getai (a type of traditional Malay performance), and the Chinese don't like watching Malay song and dance. If you want to see it, you can only go to Geylang or Kampung to see Bangsawan (Malay opera). However, the festive month has just passed, and there are fewer Malay weddings this month, so you might not be able to catch one."

"A makeshift troupe?"

"Ah."

“Alright, I’ll go to the cinema to see a Malay musical.” Sin Yiu Man clapped his hands and said, “Manager Ouyang, hire two clerks as soon as possible. One of them must be Malay, preferably male, and like watching movies.”

"Ok."

“Manager Odel,” Sin Yiu-man pointed to the blackboard, “besides Mariani and Saloma, invite the others to come for interviews. Singapore’s current income level is slightly higher than Hong Kong’s, but the expenses are not as high. The compensation will be based on the head office’s standards for now, and will be adjusted later depending on the situation.”

"OK."

Sin Yiu-man's gaze swept over Ouyang Shafei and Oudel's faces. "Within half a month, the company's basic structure should be set up. We can consult with HK for recruitment assistance. We should find more new people and temporarily refrain from poaching people from other companies, especially those owned by Run Run Shaw and Loke Wan Tho."

"Ok."

"clear."

"Alright, we'll stop here. Peiyun, come with me for a walk outside."

Sin Yiu Man took Yang Pei Yun to a nearby cafe for a cup of coffee, where Yang Pei Yun shared her stories about Malay women.

Next, I went to Geylang and found a young Malay prostitute. I paid her more than I could earn in two days of work, bought her coffee, and listened to her thoughts on movies and her opinions on Malay clients.

Midway through, I gave them an extra sum of money, asking them to provide a more detailed analysis of the nature of Malay men, specifically their deep-seated understanding of women.

At noon, I ate satay and kueh in Geylang, chatted with the Malay vendors in the red-light district economic zone around Geylang, listened to their comments on prostitutes, and gradually pieced together the aesthetic views of Malay men from their words.

After dinner, we went to a coffee shop run by a Malay woman to chat and listen to her share her thoughts on movies that she had heard from other female customers.

Singapore's movie audience has a relatively balanced gender ratio, with only slightly more men than women, and these men tend to attend midnight screenings. For safety reasons, women primarily watch movies during the day and are a major force in Malay, Cantonese, and Indian films. When watching Malay films, they often bring their children. (End of Chapter)