money player

As the plane landed, Huo Zhixian's heart, which had been pounding like a deer, calmed down a little.

She didn't dislike Sin Yiu-man; she wanted to give it a try.

After being helped off the plane by Sin Yiu-man, she followed closely behind him, secretly glancing at his profile.

He's really good-looking.

As she walked out of the dock, she saw three cars parked by the roadside. She followed them to the middle one, and he opened the door, inviting her to get in first.

She got in and the first thing she saw was the newspaper and books; it turned out he also read in the car.

Before he could even wonder about anything else, he got into the car, and as soon as he was settled, he unfolded the newspaper in his hand and continued reading.

"Go to Shanjin Tea House."

As the car started, her gaze lingered on his profile, and hallucinations began to form in her mind.

At the banquet, he embraced her and danced gracefully, becoming the focus of the entire event, with guests captivated by their dance.

Her fingers twitched slightly, her gaze fixed on his slender fingers, his nails were trimmed, and the crevices were clean, without a trace of dirt.

His hands are so tempting, I really want to squeeze them.

His hand moved. He put down the newspaper, found a map on the side, spread it out, and held a pencil in his hand. He stared at the map for a few seconds, drew a few lines, and then drew a few circles.

"What are you doing?"

“I previously invested in several leather workshops in Italy, and we hold board meetings during the Christmas season to discuss development plans for the following year. I am currently studying those plans.”

"A leather workshop? What do they do?"

Xian Yaowen turned around, took a box from the back windowsill, opened it, took out a bag and showed it to Huo Zhixian, "There's a shop that makes these, and another one that makes leather shoes. This is for you."

"Is this a gift?" Huo Zhixian happily accepted the bag, her eyes immediately drawn to the double G logo on it. "Is that its trademark?"

"Yes, Gucci, a small local brand from Florence. I hope you'll like it."

Huo Zhixian said shyly, "I like it."

Sin Yiu-man nodded slightly, his gaze returning to the map.

Seeing that Xian Yaowen's attention was no longer on her, Huo Zhixian glanced at his profile and then began to play with the bag with great affection.

Sin Yiu-man glanced at her out of the corner of his eye for two seconds, then focused his attention on the map, pondering the layout of white goods in Italy.

The talk of a leather plan is a lie. Juliet's brand management has been developing quite smoothly. Its own brands are accumulating experience, and brands that were going to emerge in the past are being invested in at the right time. For example, Romeo only slightly expressed his intention to invest, and the Gucci family immediately rushed over, begging Romeo to invest.

As the saying goes, times change. Juliet is already showing signs of becoming a luxury brand leader. Even brands that are destined for future success but are currently in their development phase are willing to partner with Juliet.

Juliet's development cannot be rushed; brand recognition requires time to accumulate, and the timelines for various plans need to be extended. There are not many urgent matters that need to be dealt with immediately.

Conversely, Italy is at the best entry point for white goods. The European appliance market is mainly dominated by brands such as Bosch, Siemens, and Hoover, which offer high quality but are expensive, bulky, and have slow production recovery.

Italian white goods brands offer excellent value for money due to cheap labor and the adoption of assembly line production technology from the United States. However, their brand recognition is limited to Italy, and they are not well-known outside of Italy, with Scandinavians generally considering them to be of "average quality."

Italian brands hold a position in Europe comparable to a price cutter, acting like price-butchers and aggressively seizing market share. However, home appliances are large purchases, and buying one can empty the savings of an average family. Moreover, consumers expect their appliances to last for decades, so they are not too sensitive to price.

Italian brands that want to sweep across Europe are missing two things: the essence of Italian design and flexibility.

Currently, most white goods on the market are bulky and cumbersome, prioritizing practicality but with unsightly appearances. Because of their large size, the design cannot be easily changed; any change would have far-reaching consequences. When sales are still stable, it is not easy to make the difficult decision to drastically alter the design.

In addition, in Europe, especially Southern Europe, houses are small and kitchens are narrow. Large American refrigerators cannot fit, and German refrigerators are too bulky. The market needs a small refrigerator.

Italian brands were largely in the workshop era, small and agile, without the constraints of a large board of directors and shareholders of big brands. The leader could make decisions on what to do, and under the pressure of survival, they were more likely to develop creative thinking.

Italy is a land perfectly suited for implementing the "small appliance" plan.

As the car drove along the road, Huo Zhixian would occasionally check her bag, look out the window, and steal a glance at Xian Yaowen.

"The way he's so focused is really captivating. It's like, it's like marrying him wouldn't be bad... Oh dear, what am I thinking?"

Huo Zhixian gently bit the knuckle of her right index finger, lost in self-shyness.

Sin Yiu-man had been focusing on developing a strategy for Italy. From white goods to small vehicles, Italians needed affordable transportation, and the narrow streets were not suitable for large American cars. He believed that if a small, affordable car were launched, it would definitely achieve good sales.

Fiat dominates the Italian market, and based on publicly disclosed information, it has set its sights on small cars. It is estimated that the future national car, the Fiat 500, is already in its infancy.

It would be unwise to establish a new car company in Italy to compete with Fiat at this time. It would be better to take advantage of the situation and buy Fiat shares. Based on Fiat's market value and stock situation, an investment of $100 million would make one a very significant minority shareholder.

In addition, Jinji Trading Company could try to secure the exclusive agency rights for Fiat in the Far East, signing a deal that would allow them to operate Fiat exclusively in Hong Kong, Macau, and Southeast Asia.

Let's practice with Fiat first, train an elite sales team, and then seamlessly transition to the Pumpkin Carriage in the future.

"The $100 million that Grace used to buy shares in Jin Fugui Holdings can be used to purchase Fiat stock. Securing the Far East general agency requires a deposit, which is estimated to be around $100 million as well. Where will this money come from?"

Jinji Trading Company is not short of money, but he has made many development plans. For example, Sky Travelers is about to expand to Italy, going to Capri, Positano and Lake Como to buy dilapidated villas and convert them into luxury hotels.

In May of the year before last, with the release of the Jubilaeum Maximum, Pope Pius XII declared 1950 a holy year.

Last year, approximately 400 million pilgrims flocked to Rome from all over the world. To accommodate these visitors, the Italian government renovated a large number of hotels, roads, and train stations, laying the necessary infrastructure for the upcoming tourism boom.

With Hollywood giants filming on location in Italy, the "Hollywood effect" on the Tiber River is created. The film showcases Italy's sunshine and romance to the world, attracting a large number of viewers to consider traveling to Italy.

The strong purchasing power of the US dollar and the relatively low price level in Italy mean that for the American middle class, living an ordinary life in New York is not enough, but with US dollars in Italy, they can stay in hotels converted from palaces, hire private drivers, and eat top-notch meals.

Many Italian nobles have gone bankrupt and can no longer afford to maintain their huge ancestral homes. Now is the best time to buy them at rock-bottom prices. Vast estates and villas with historical significance are waiting to be snapped up on the Amalfi Coast and Lake Como. Dilapidated houses are available for $80,000 to $10,000, while move-in ready mansions are available for $20,000 to $30,000. Buy them, renovate them, and you can recoup your investment in a year.

Investing in the hotel industry and recouping your investment in a year is a legendary, even predatory, investment, akin to picking money up from the ground with a sack of cash. Moreover, old manor villas are non-renewable assets; even if the hotel is poorly managed, selling it at the right time can yield hundreds or even thousands of times the return.

For this business alone, Golden Season Logistics has budgeted an investment of $200 million. No matter how profitable smuggling is, it can't withstand this kind of spending.

Sin Yiu-man took out his notebook and wrote down the words "private equity fund". Since he didn't have the money himself, he would find a way from outside. Given the image of Kam Kwai Trading Company in Hong Kong, raising five or six million Hong Kong dollars wouldn't be too difficult.

The best investments are reserved for yourself; mediocre investments are made by borrowing resources to generate more wealth. Money can never be fully earned, and those who become wealthy first have an obligation to help those who are less fortunate.

The Vespa scooter used in "Roman Holiday" is pretty good. It can already be seen on the streets of Hong Kong. Smuggled ones cost around HK$600-700 each, while the price from authorized dealers is estimated to be around HK$800-800. "In The Sky" could consider getting a dealership and waiting for the sales boom caused by the movie's release.

"Don't let me down, you ugly girl Audrey. I've invested so much in you. If you don't give me a lot of gold coins, you'll be sorry."

From small motor vehicles to the textile industry, Giovanni Battista Caproni held the first modern Italian fashion show in Florence this February, marking the beginning of Italian manufacturing challenging Parisian fashion. Now is a good time to invest in Italian textiles and small clothing brands.

It's time for CHN·I (China Garment Investment) to make its mark in Italy by investing in apparel brands, collaborating with the Italian mafia, investing in underground and semi-underground garment factories, and deeply exploiting the advantage of cheap labor.

However, the above investments in Italy can only bring returns, not real social status. To gain a foothold in the Italian upper class, one still needs to invest in machinery factories in Turin or Milan.

Turin is Fiat's home base, Italy's Detroit, where the industrial chain is highly concentrated in automobiles, engines, and aerospace.

Milan is Italy's economic capital, home to giants like Alfa Romeo and Pirelli, whose machinery factories specialize in precision instruments, machine tools, and motorcycle parts.

Investing in a precision gear or transmission factory in Turin is a good option. Both industries have high technological barriers and high profit margins. Once you get into Fiat's supply chain, you can make money effortlessly.

Investing in a specialized mold or machine tool factory in Milan is a good option. Italian designers create beautiful casings that require high-precision steel mold stamping. Once you establish a foothold, you can dominate the automotive, motorcycle, and home appliance industries.

However, the industrial families in northern Italy are very xenophobic and arrogant. They don't lack lira, and it's difficult to penetrate with just capital. What they lack is technological upgrades and American orders. To integrate, they need to bring new technologies and orders with them.

Of course, finding a down-on-their-luck working-class family in the local area for a "marriage alliance" would save a lot of trouble.

Just as Sin Yiu-man was deep in thought, the car arrived at Shan Jin Tea House. After tidying up, Sin Yiu-man got out of the car first and opened the car door for Fok Chi-han.

As the two stood at the entrance of the tea shop, Xian Yaowen pointed to the signboard and said, "Shanjin Tea Shop, as well as Shanjin Building and Shanjin Store next to it, are all properties managed by Peipei. Shanjin is Cen, so it can be called Cenji. Peipei is the major shareholder, and the Xian family also has shares. It can be considered a joint investment by the individual and the family."

"Joint investment?" Huo Zhixian asked in surprise.

"Yes, it's a joint investment with clear individual ownership. Peipei's shares belong to her personally, and theoretically she can do whatever she wants with them. Even if she gives them to a gigolo, I have no right to interfere."

"This..." Huo Zhixian was speechless. "Keeping a gigolo is allowed?"

Sin Yiu-man said with a faint smile, "I was talking about the theory. As a shareholder, I have no right to interfere in the private affairs of other shareholders. But I am still Peipei's husband. I am a very domineering person. I am lenient with myself but strict with others. I can have affairs outside, but my wife cannot."

As he spoke, he whispered in Huo Zhixian's ear, "If you enter the Xian family, you must remain chaste for me."

"I..." Huo Zhixian's heart was pounding, and she stammered, "I haven't... I haven't agreed to it yet."

“I know.” Xian Yaowen straightened up and moved away from Huo Zhixian. “New tea has arrived. Let’s go in and have a taste.”

Xian Yaowen led Huo Zhixian into the tea shop, nodded to the manager, and then entered the tea room behind the beaded curtain.

Meng Xiaodong was there, and Cen Peipei was there too.

Sin Yiu-man placed the bag of pastries he was carrying on the tea table. “Ms. Meng, Pei-pei, these are almond cookies I bought from Wong Kee.”

Cen Peipei glanced at the pastry buns, then turned her gaze to Huo Zhixian, "Master, whose young lady is this?"

"Let me introduce you. This is Ms. Huo Zhixian, the daughter of Mr. Huo Baocai."

Upon hearing this, Cen Peipei stood up to greet Huo Zhixian, "Miss Huo, I am Cen Peipei. Please take a seat and try the newly arrived Yingde black tea."

Cen Peipei took over the hospitality, while Xian Yaowen sat down next to Meng Xiaodong without a second thought.

Meng Xiaodong poured him a cup of tea. "The first batch of black tea from Yinghong Overseas Chinese Tea Farm was delivered by China Tea Guangdong Company. They entrusted us to conduct trial sales."

Sin Yiu-man picked up his teacup, glanced at the tea soup, then smelled it, took a sip, and savored the taste: "At first, there is a honey and potato aroma, as well as a slight floral and fruity aroma and a charcoal roasting aroma. The aroma is high and long-lasting but not very persistent. It is more pronounced when hot, but I wonder how it is when cold."

"It has a faint smell when cold."

Sin Yiu-man nodded slightly, then examined the tea soup again. "It's a deep, bright red, with a slight cloudiness, probably due to the tea master's poor skill. There's a faint gold ring on the cup, which is slightly dull. It's rich and mellow on the palate, with a moderate freshness and a slight astringency. The aftertaste is quick but rather short. Which infusion is this?"

"The third infusion."

"It's alright. I think this tea is pretty good, but the taste is quite different from the broken black tea that Europeans prefer. It's hard to cater to the mainstream, so it won't be successful in exporting to Europe. It's more suitable for sale in Southeast Asia."

Meng Xiaodong smiled and said, "The Guangdong company wanted to exchange tea for US dollars, but you rejected it outright."

"This batch of tea didn't come from normal channels?"

Meng Xiaodong nodded slightly, "It seems to be a private matter by the Guangdong company and does not represent China Tea."

"Didn't it go through Zhongfeng Company?"

"No."

Sin Yiu-man asked thoughtfully, "How much tea has arrived?"

"Two loads."

"Put the tea in the corner and don't recommend it to the guests." Xian Yaowen put down his teacup and lowered his voice, saying, "The Guangdong company has broken the rules by coming directly to us without going through Zhongfeng Company. Moreover, it's a private matter, and it may not represent Zhongcha. If it is, it does not comply with the organizational procedures in the mainland."

Meng Xiaodong paused for a moment, then said, "Are you worried about getting involved in a power struggle?"

“Very likely.” Xian Yaowen nodded slightly. “It’s just selling some tea, there’s no need to get too involved. I’ll have Zhongfeng Company send a letter to China Tea to inform them, and you should write a letter to the person who came forward, explaining that this tea is not suitable for the European market, and also attach a sample of a popular European black tea.”

“Okay.” Meng Xiaodong twirled the prayer beads between her fingers. “I’d like to go to Taipei in a few days.”

Visiting friends?

"An old friend invited me to settle in Taipei, so I went to take a look."

"It's good to go there to relax, but I don't recommend that you settle in Taipei. Hong Kong is a noisy cruise ship, crowded with refugees from all over the world. Everyone has different backgrounds and beliefs, and they are all struggling to survive."

The captain only cares about keeping the ship from sinking and causing chaos; he doesn't care what scriptures you chant or what people you curse in the cabin. Most importantly, the ship's gangplank can be lowered at any time, so you can choose to board or leave at any time.

Taipei is a disciplined and purposeful warship. Everyone on board wears uniforms and obeys the captain's orders. Their sole mission is to prepare for battle.

Order was maintained there, but anyone who disobeyed orders or questioned the course would be immediately thrown overboard. Once on board, you became part of the ship; there was no way to disembark.

"That's what you think?"

"For your reference only."

"Hmm." Meng Xiaodong suddenly quickened the pace of her fingertips, her mind a little unsettled.

"Mr. Xian."

"Mrs. Xian".

At this moment, two people entered the tea room. One was Situ Yongxiao, the manager of Gantian Dried Fruit, and the other was Situ Yongli, the owner of Mohuang. The two were brothers and were dried fruit masters from Shanghai.

Mo Huang established itself in Hong Kong with just a single preserved plum, influencing the city's high society. Movie stars and socialites considered it an honor to enjoy Mo Huang's preserved fruits, and the celebrities' inherent popularity served as the best free advertising for Mo Huang.

Gan Tian Dried Fruit's first major move was to invest in Mo Huang, acquiring a 55% stake. Gan Tian Dried Fruit spent a hefty HK$1 on this, accounting for half of its initial capital.

Situ Yongli approached Cen Peipei and presented her with a paper bag. "Mrs. Xian, these are freshly roasted chestnuts, still warm."

"Thank you, Mr. Situ, that's very kind of you." Cen Peipei took the paper bag, placed it on the tea table, opened it, and said to Huo Zhixian, "Miss Huo, here are some Qianxi chestnuts, please have a taste."

Situ Yongxiao approached Xian Yaowen and handed him a folder. “Mr. Xian, the export trade of 3500 tons of Tianjin chestnuts to Japan has been finalized. The trading partner is the First Trade Company, introduced by Mr. Takasaki Tatsunosuke of the Japan-China Trade Promotion Association.”

"Manager Situ, please have a seat." Xian Yaowen took the folder, opened it, and flipped through it. "Tell me about our profits."

Situ Yongxiao sat down next to Xian Yaowen and said cautiously, "The FOB price we agreed with First Trader is US$295 per ton, and the purchase price is US$285 per ton. The expected profit is US$3.2. We negotiated with the mainland to exchange profits for goods, and the mainland agreed to give us almonds worth US$10."

"The price offered by the mainland?"

"Yes, Chairman Lu gave instructions that the Tianjin chestnut deal is to break down barriers in Sino-Japanese relations. Both the mainland and the Japanese left wing attach great importance to it, while the sweet dried fruit deal is only aimed at breaking even."

Sin Yiu-man nodded. "Have you received any new orders from Japan?"

"Yes, 1.5 tons of soybeans from Manchuria. The order has already been transferred to Haoxili Agricultural Products."

Is there anything special about this form?

"The mainland wants to use one-third of the payment for goods to exchange for fertilizer, and the Japanese side has agreed."

"The fertilizer was handed over to Wanbang Transportation?"

"Yes." (End of Chapter)