money player

"Maintain a good image for the business?"

"Hmm." Sin Yiu-man nodded. "Persuading employees with hidden illnesses to resign can be classified as proactive risk avoidance. Hidden illnesses may flare up at any time, or they may never flare up. As long as they are not flaring up, anything is possible."

It's perfectly correct for a business to aim for profit and avoid potential losses; there's no need for any psychological burden on it.

Cheryl smiled gently, "I have no psychological burden."

Sin Yiu-man gazed at Cheryl's face. "I have proven the saying 'human potential is limitless' in you. At first, I just wanted to find an Englishman to represent the business."

When I first met you, you seemed naive and shy. My initial assessment of you was that you could only be a puppet, and that's what I thought at first. But your growth rate surprised me. Now you are a qualified professional manager and are making great strides toward excellence.

Therefore, you are already qualified to receive more. First, I will allocate 3% of my share of the year-end dividends to you, the total 3%. Second, I will propose an additional bonus of $10 for you at the next shareholders' meeting.

“Adam, thank you so much,” Cheryl said sincerely. “If it weren’t for you, I would still be a textile worker earning only a dozen pounds a month.”

Sin Yiu-man waved his hand, "No need to thank me. It's fate that we met. You deserve everything you've received. If you want to thank someone, thank the person who has been working hard all along."

"Without you, I would have no chance to strive."

“Okay.” Sin Yiu-man shrugged. “I’ll accept your thanks. Treat me to dinner next time.”

"OK."

"Management dividends, extra bonuses, and profit sharing—that's what you have now. Next time, I'll talk to you about shares, and it won't be long before you become a member of the board of directors." With that, Sin Yiu-man extended his right hand.

Cheryl smiled and took his hand.

"The board of directors is beckoning you."

"I am looking forward."

Sin Yiu-man released her hand, stood up, buttoned his suit jacket, and nodded slightly to Cheryl. "Ms. Brown, the firm appreciates your contributions and hopes you are happy every day at the firm."

Cheryl rose and curtsied in return. "Mr. Hepburn, thank you again for giving me this opportunity."

From 4:30 to 9:30, Sin Yiu-man played the roles of father and lover. At 9:45, he appeared on the beach next to Ritz Garden and, by the light of the moon and the lamplight from the octagonal cage, drew a schematic diagram of Ritz Garden, Moon Garden and Heavenly Palace Nightclub.

The three sections are connected as one, shaped like a crescent shovel. The "U" shape in the middle is a bay, which can be transformed into a seaside resort and introduced into recreational projects such as jet skiing, towed water skiing, and parasailing.

On the beach, you can play sports such as beach volleyball, beanbag toss, and shuttlecock kicking. These sports may not seem fun, but they can become quite fun when men and women team up.

After pondering for a moment, he looked at the sea and hesitated whether he should give his all to the role of a professional manager.

Extending outwards from the sea, he thought of the Shanghai cruise ship. In fact, this plan could be brought forward, with Friendship Real Estate and Lizhi Garden jointly developing the project, with Lizhi Garden taking the lead and Friendship Real Estate holding a hidden stake.

The so-called cruise ship is actually a gambling ship. There is no doubt that this is a plan with a success rate of over 90%, but once this Pandora's box is opened, it will be difficult to close it again.

If you build gambling ships, others can do it too. In the 1950s, it was very likely to become a trend. If Hong Kong gamblers were all detained, there would be no need to open casinos in Macau, and his plans for Macau would be meaningless.

Of course, things are unlikely to develop to that point. It's impossible to intercept all gamblers. However, once gambling ships on the sea become a significant industry, will the Hong Kong government be tempted by the large amount of tax revenue and push for the legalization of gambling ships?
Or could it evolve into a regulated operation similar to the four major drug trafficking families?

A piece of fat meat that has become a fait accompli is right there; who wouldn't want to take a bite?

As Sin Yiu-man was lost in thought, a series of footsteps approached him, accompanied by the scent of incense and cigarette smoke, followed by a greeting, "Mr. Sin."

Sin Yiu-man looked in the direction of the sound and saw a woman in a white cheongsam with a silk shawl draped over her shoulders and a long pipe in her hand. He glanced at the woman's face and recognized her as actress Mui Kei.

"Miss Mei."

Mei Qi and Xian Yaowen stood side by side, taking a flirtatious drag on their cigarettes. "Is Mr. Xian enjoying the sea view and moon gazing?"

"Is that right? What brings Miss Mei to the Retiro Garden?"

"Does the Ritz Garden not cater to female guests?"

"Of course not. I was just curious how Miss Mei had time to come over. Miss Mei has been very productive this year, with one film after another being released. I thought Miss Mei was living and working on set."

Mei Qi said with self-pity, "I'm getting old, and soon I won't have any roles to play. While someone is willing to hire me, I can only work non-stop."

"Isn't Ms. Mui being overly worried? Among Hong Kong actresses, Ms. Mui's acting skills can be ranked among the top three. If Ms. Mui has no roles to play, then the future of Hong Kong films is worrying."

Mei Qi's expression instantly changed, and a smile bloomed on her cheeks. "Mr. Xian thinks my acting is good?"

Sin Yiu-man nodded. "Among all the actresses, Miss Mui's acting skills are second only to Hung Sin-nu and Pak Yen. Hung Sin-nu excels in singing, acting, reciting, and fighting, and her performances are delicate and powerful, but her limitations are very strong. She can only star in opera films. To be honest, I don't appreciate her acting."

Bai Yan's acting is delicate, her crying scenes are moving, and her emotions are extremely rich. It's a pity her appearance limits her potential. On the contrary, Miss Mei, you have the widest range of roles, capable of playing both righteous and villainous characters, ancient and modern, with astonishing emotional outbursts, the deepest immersion in your role, and the fastest ability to change expressions.

Sin Yiu-man's gaze swept over Mei Qi from head to toe. "She's not particularly tall, but her proportions are excellent. She has a slender waist and long, shapely legs. She looks especially striking in a high-slit cheongsam or swimsuit."

The gaze shifted from her calves back to Mei Qi's face. "Miss Mei is suitable for both heavy and light makeup. If Miss Mei is willing, she can play a young lady until she is forty years old, and then consider transitioning to playing mother roles."

It's no exaggeration to say that Ms. Mei doesn't need to worry about losing her job in film until she's sixty.

Mei Qi chuckled and said, "Is Mr. Xian flattering me?"

These are my heartfelt words.

"Thank you."

Xian Yaowen smiled faintly and said, "Miss Mei's arrival here is not a coincidence, is it?"

“No,” Mei Qi readily admitted, “I came over because I saw Xian Sheng.”

"Are you seduced by my tall and straight figure, or attracted by my status?"

Upon hearing this, Mei Qi covered her mouth and laughed, "You're really interesting."

Xian Yaowen chuckled and said, "Did you come alone, or with your... uh, what's your husband's surname?"

“Li,” Mei Qi said, her face showing displeasure, “I’m alone.”

Xian Yaowen put his arm around Mei Qi's waist and said softly, "Judging from your expression, it seems there's been a rift in your relationship with Mr. Li?"

Mei Qi glanced down at the hand that was wrapped around her slender waist and said reproachfully, "Sir Xian, how dare you be so disrespectful to me?"

“I have no frivolous intentions, I’m just being bold.” Xian Yaowen moved his hand up and embraced Mei Qi’s arm, pulling her head into the crook of his arm. “No matter why you came here, I want to hold you and talk to you.”

Mei Qi spat lightly, "Xian Sheng seems very confident in his looks, thinking that all women in the world will fall for him."

“No.” Xian Yaowen stroked Mei Qi’s arm. “I am more confident in my shamelessness. As long as I persist in being shameless, there is no woman I cannot conquer.”

Mei Qi chuckled and said, "You can only conquer bad women, right?"

Xian Yaowen bent his arm inward, and Mei Qi was spun around halfway. He then pulled her into his arms with his other hand, locking her face to face. His hands were placed on her lower back, and he made her dance gracefully.

As the ambiguous atmosphere ignited, Sin Yiu-man whispered, "There is no distinction between good and bad beautiful women, only between large and small ones."

"Where...what size?"

"Showy."

Mei Qi poked Xian Yaowen on the back with her pipe. "Is it okay to talk like that?"

Is it too direct?

"Too presumptuous."

"The Retiro Garden at night is a place for men to seek pleasure. The bond between men and women is money and beauty. Some things would seem presumptuous to say outside, but they wouldn't be said here."

"Does Mr. Xian think he's running a den of iniquity?"

"Eyes filled with eye discharge, ears covered with earwax, saints and demons come from the same place where a massacre takes place every month, causing the extinction of hundreds of millions of humans, resulting in widespread suffering and rivers of blood."

Mei Qi spat lightly, "Xian Sheng's mouth is full of foul language."

Sin Yiu-man chuckled and said, "I usually pretend to be a gentleman. You're just unlucky; you didn't catch the right moment."

"Tired of pretending? Time to stop?"

"It's just a matter of balancing work and rest; now is the time for upright gentlemen to rest."

Mei Qi chuckled, "You're really interesting."

"This is the second time you've said that. It's best if it doesn't happen a third time."

"why?"

"You'll succumb the third time."

Mei Qi looked up and stared into Xian Yaowen's eyes. "Mr. Xian's skin is indeed very thick."

"Thank you for the compliment."

Sin Yiu-man spun Mei-kei around, then released her. The two stood facing each other, half a meter apart, a safe distance for conversation.

“Miss Mei, it’s late, and there are people waiting for me at home.” As he spoke, Xian Yaowen gestured for her to continue.

Mei Qi understood Sin Yiu-man's gesture and was amazed at how quickly he changed his expression. However, despite her amazement, she didn't stop talking about business. "Mr. Sin, does Friendship Film Company have any plans to make Cantonese films?"

"Friendship Films has never defined itself as a company that only makes Mandarin films."

"Does Mr. Sin know about the Cantonese film cleanup campaign?"

Sin Yiu-man nodded slightly.

Mei Qi inserted a new cigarette into her pipe, lit it, and said, "The cleanup campaign has been carried out twice, but with little effect. The film company is eager for quick success and instant benefits. Taking advantage of the large influx of refugees, it seized the opportunity to provide cheap entertainment for the citizens and launched a number of 'seven-day fresh' films."

The quality of a film shot in just seven days is predictable. Last year and this year, Cantonese films accounted for over 80% of Hong Kong's film production, but their box office revenue lagged behind Mandarin films, which accounted for less than 20%. If this continues, Cantonese films will only face their demise.

Mei Qi's words impressed Xian Yaowen, who chuckled and asked, "Miss Mei, what are you planning to do?"

"It's not just me, it's a group of people: Wu Chufan, Bai Yan, Zhang Huoyou, Zi Luolian, Li Qing, Rong Xiaoyi, Huang Manli, Xiao Yanfei, Zhang Ying, Li Chenfeng, Wu Hui, Qin Jian, Li Tie, Wang Keng, and Zhu Ji. We are preparing to launch a movement to separate actors from their families, to prevent actors from becoming arrogant, late, and overpaid due to market popularity, and to eliminate shoddy productions."

"and then?"

"We decided to set up a film company, with everyone voluntarily reducing their salaries and investing more funds in production, adhering to the principle of 'quality over quantity' to improve the artistic level of Cantonese films."

Having said that, Mei Qi's purpose was now crystal clear.

Sin Yiu-man nodded. "Tomorrow at 2 PM, at Shan Jin Lou, please have someone in charge come forward and talk to me."

"Okay." Mei Qi breathed a sigh of relief, not expecting it to be so easy.

Sin Yiu-man stepped forward, embraced Mui Kei, kissed her on the cheek, and then whispered in her ear, "I'm going on a business trip soon and won't have time to tease you. When I get back, please appreciate my acting skills. I'll perform a 'One Day to Coax Mui Kei into Bed' for you."

Mei Qi said coquettishly, "Mr. Xian, don't joke like that. I am a married woman."

Xian Yaowen released Mei Qi, looked at her face and smiled faintly, "Mrs. Li, wait for me to come back."

After saying that, he turned and left, leaving Meiqi stamping her feet in the spot.

An hour later.

Sin Yiu-man and Sum Pui-pui leaned against the headboard, chatting about work.

"In a few days, the recipe for Friends will be finalized. Once the store in Hong Kong opens, I plan to immediately open the first flagship store in New York."

"Oh, the $215 million for Gambino is ready, it's for Friends, take it all with you."

"Friends didn't need that much funding at the beginning."

"We can accelerate the pace of development, catch up with the pioneers as soon as possible, and block the path of those who come later."

Do you hope Friends will raise funds soon?

“It’s not easy to do business alone in the US. I plan to package Friends as a project and put it into the Black Pearl’s pool. This way, Friends can raise a lot of funds, while we will still control the equity. In the future, we can decide whether to repurchase the shares depending on the situation.”

"Hmm, you know I acquired Zhonghua Soda?"

"Just say what you want to say."

"I want to increase the market share of Zhonghua Soda, and I need your advice."

Sin Yiu-man shook his head. "I'm not interested in carbonated drinks."

"why?"

“It is more difficult to build a carbonated beverage brand that surpasses Coca-Cola and Pepsi than to become a major shareholder of both. The input and output are not proportional. I suggest you do not spend too much effort on soda and shift your energy to other beverages.”

"for example?"

In 1884, Zhang Zhidong, the Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi, fell ill in Guangdong due to the change in climate and water. He recovered after drinking Cen Baiwan's herbal tea. Zhang Zhidong presented Cen Baiwan with a plaque inscribed with the words "Cen Baiwan" and suggested: "Your surname is Cen, and your given name is Baiwan. You are an honest doctor, and your medicine is inexpensive and effective. From now on, your herbal tea will be called Cen Baiwan."

Cen Peipei said suspiciously, "It sounds familiar."

Xian Yaowen chuckled, "Change Zhang Zhidong to Lin Zexu."

Cen Peipei suddenly realized, "Oh, Wanglaoji, you want me to make herbal tea?"

"It's not herbal tea, it's herbal tea beverage. Herbal tea is just a name. It's made by boiling chrysanthemum, honeysuckle, and licorice in water, adding cheap syrup, adding some preservatives, bottling it up, and then selling it."

Aside from the bottle, the cost should ideally be kept below 2 cents. If sales are fast, don't add preservatives, as they're not cheap.

Should we exaggerate the effects when marketing?

"Of course we have to exaggerate, otherwise no one will buy it."

"Then how is this any different from lying?"

"There is a difference. The effects of medicine are sometimes like worshipping gods; if you believe, it works, if you don't, it doesn't. If you believe, even herbal tea and drinks can become miracle drugs." (End of this chapter)