In Hong Kong, we build a global business empire

Chapter 806 Horrifying! Holding shares worth $138 billion!

As the two were talking, the phone in the lobby rang.

Li Guowei walked quickly to the telephone, picked up the receiver, and listened.

Not long after, he put the telephone receiver back.

"Boss, it's the hotel reception calling. They say a Mr. Su Zhixue is waiting for you downstairs," Li Guowei reported to Lin Haoran.

Upon hearing this, Lin Haoran nodded and said with a smile, "Hong Kong is still more convenient. We can keep in touch anytime by mobile phone. Okay, you should go back and rest for a while and digest today's gains. I'll go out for a bit now."

The affairs of Huanyu Investment Company have nothing to do with Li Guowei. It is his own private investment company, so naturally there is no need for Li Guowei to go with him.

“I heard that Motorola has partnered with the New York government, and the cellular mobile communication network in New York is already under construction. However, compared to downtown Hong Kong, New York is too vast, and it will probably be difficult to build it up and put it into full commercial operation in the short term,” Li Guowei added.

“Indeed, it is not easy to promote new technologies anywhere and achieve full popularization. However, Hong Kong has taken the lead in commercializing mobile communications, which is a good start and a step ahead,” Lin Haoran said in agreement.

“You deserve a lot of credit for Hong Kong becoming the world’s first city to commercialize mobile communications,” Li Guowei said sincerely, then wisely said no more. “President Su must be getting impatient downstairs, so I won’t bother you any longer. Boss, I’ll go back to my room now.”

After Li Guowei left, Lin Haoran also led his bodyguards directly to the lobby on the first floor.

As for Guo Xiaohan, she went to find one of her younger sisters at noon.

As the wealthiest family in Southeast Asia, the Guo family is very large and naturally has its own businesses in the United States.

Therefore, one of her unmarried cousins ​​is currently representing the Guo family in managing some of the family business in New York.

Guo Xiaohan and her cousin have been close since childhood, and now that they are in the United States, they naturally want to make time to get together.

Since Guo Xiaohan couldn't attend the Citibank board meeting that afternoon, she made an appointment with her cousin instead.

In the lobby on the first floor, Lin Haoran indeed saw Su Zhixue, whom he hadn't seen for a long time.

To be honest, Lin Haoran and Su Zhixue hadn't seen each other for almost a year.

The last time I came to New York was last December.

Although Su Zhixue would call him every month to report on the company's situation, an overseas call was ultimately not as direct and thorough as a face-to-face conversation.

Upon seeing Lin Haoran emerge from the elevator, Su Zhixue immediately got up from the sofa in the lounge area and quickly walked to Lin Haoran's side.

Today, Su Zhixue, dressed in a well-tailored dark gray suit, exudes the capable demeanor of a Wall Street elite.

Lin Haoran paid special attention to Su Zhixue's loyalty, which remained at 100 without any fluctuation.

This fully demonstrates that even though Su Zhixue is far away in the United States, independently managing a sizable private investment company and wielding considerable operational decision-making power, he still has no disloyal intentions whatsoever.

This result made Lin Haoran quite gratified.

Of course, Lin Haoran's way of managing subordinates does not rely solely on his insight into loyalty.

On a practical level, he also made a series of institutional arrangements in advance to prevent risks.

For example, all fund transfers and uses of Huanyu Investment Company are subject to strict review by a professional finance team after each expenditure is completed. If any problems arise, someone will report to Lin Haoran.

At the same time, he also planted trustworthy informants within Su Zhixue's team to ensure smooth and transparent information channels.

He knew that although Su Zhixue's loyalty was as high as 100, loyalty was not something that could only increase and never decrease. If some changes in the future caused the loyalty to drop, these preventive measures could be put into effect in time.

Huanyu Investment Company is extremely important to Lin Haoran, as it involves his plans for the next ten or even several decades, so he cannot afford to be careless.

Moreover, strictly speaking, Huanyu Investment Company is the first company he founded in this world, which has extraordinary significance for him.

Furthermore, this company is not only his core platform for overseas asset allocation, but also an important fulcrum for his future moves in the global capital market.

Through this management approach that combines both kindness and severity, and integrates short-term and long-term strategies, Lin Haoran is confident that even if any unforeseen circumstances arise in the future, he will be able to quickly take control of the situation and ensure the safety of assets and the implementation of strategic objectives.

Therefore, Lin Haoran has always had great confidence in Huanyu Investment Company in the United States.

"Boss, it's been a long time! You look even more radiant than before!" Su Zhixue said respectfully.

Lin Haoran patted the other man on the shoulder and said with a smile, "Zhixue, it's been a year since I last saw you. You look much more energetic. It seems you've completely adapted to life in New York. Let's go, get in the car first."

Su Zhixue knew that his boss had a lot of bodyguards, so he specially arranged a bulletproof Lincoln and three Cadillacs, enough to seat everyone.

The convoy slowly drove into the traffic of New York. The headquarters of Huanyu Investment Company is in Times Square, about two kilometers away, which is not far.

After getting in the car, Li Weidong sat in the passenger seat, while Su Zhixue sat next to Lin Haoran.

The two did not rush to talk about work, but instead talked about Su Zhixue's life in New York over the past year.

"Thank you for your hard work these past few days!" Lin Haoran said with some emotion.

As a traditional Hong Konger, he knew that Su Zhixue certainly had no intention of coming to the United States.

However, when Lin Haoran arranged for him to come to the United States, the other party did not hesitate at all. He immediately assembled a team, packed his bags, and brought his wife and children across the ocean to this completely unfamiliar country to open up this brand new market for him.

Su Zhixue said sincerely, "Boss, you flatter me. It is my honor to be able to help you. You are a benefactor to my whole family. It is all I should do. Besides, I have learned a lot in New York that I could not learn in Hong Kong and broadened my horizons."

Lin Haoran looked at him appreciatively: "Tell me, what was your biggest takeaway?"

After a moment of thought, Su Zhixue replied earnestly: "The biggest takeaway is understanding what a true global perspective is. Here, every decision must take into account the interconnected effects of the global market."

For example, the situation in the Middle East can affect oil prices, which in turn can affect global inflation, and eventually even tech stocks will be affected. This kind of global thinking is hard to cultivate in Hong Kong.

The more I understand, the more I realize how forward-thinking your initial investment philosophy was.

At this point, Su Zhixue looked at Lin Haoran with even more admiration.

It can be said that Su Zhixue was involved in almost all of Lin Haoran's rise to power in the first two years.

It was through participation that I was able to deeply appreciate the boss's vision and wisdom.

Upon hearing this, Lin Haoran's eyes revealed an approving expression.

Su Zhixue has indeed grown; he is no longer the local trader who only focused on the rise and fall of Hong Kong stocks, but has gradually developed the vision of an international investor.

"Your recognition of this shows that the past two years haven't been in vain," Lin Haoran said with satisfaction. "A global perspective is the foundation of Huanyu Investment. Huanyu Investment has a long road ahead, and I hope that you will always be a part of Huanyu Investment's future, rather than parting ways for some reason."

Lin Haoran's words were meaningful, expressing both his approval of Su Zhixue and his expectations for him.

Su Zhixue immediately replied solemnly, "Boss, please rest assured, I, Su Zhixue, am by no means an ungrateful person. If it weren't for your help when I was in my most difficult time, my son would probably be gone. I will never forget this kindness."

Looking at the sincere gratitude in Su Zhixue's eyes, Lin Haoran couldn't help but recall the scene when they first met in Hong Kong.

At the time, Su Zhixue was just a trader in the securities department of Wan An Group, while Lin Haoran was building a trading team, intending to profit from the back-and-forth battle between Bao Yugang and Jardine Matheson in the Kowloon Wharf shareholding increase.

Su Zhixue's son is seriously ill and needs HK$18 for surgery. This amount is undoubtedly a huge sum for Su Zhixue, an ordinary person.

Upon learning of Su Zhixue's situation, Lin Haoran offered a helping hand, a timely act of kindness that helped Su Zhixue's son overcome his difficulties.

Lin Haoran also took this opportunity to gain his first subordinate with a loyalty of 100.

Now, when he thinks back on these past events, he can't help but feel a little emotional.

"Speaking of which, your son hasn't had any problems lately, has he?" Lin Haoran asked.

“Thank you for your concern, boss. I am fully healthy now. After coming to the United States, I took the time to take my son to Mount Sinai Hospital in New York for a full check-up. The doctor said he has recovered very well and is now as healthy and lively as other children,” Su Zhixue replied solemnly.

"That puts my mind at ease," Lin Haoran said with a smile.

"By the way, boss, there's something I haven't had a chance to tell you yet, please forgive me. My wife gave birth to a baby girl in the hospital last month, and she's almost a month old now." As he said this, Su Zhixue's eyes were filled with happiness.

With a son and a daughter, he had a perfect family, and his success in his career made him feel that his life was complete.

Upon hearing this, Lin Haoran's eyes lit up with joy: "This is wonderful news! Congratulations, Zhixue! Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

Su Zhixue smiled sheepishly, "Boss, you're so busy, I wouldn't dare bother you with such personal matters. Besides, the delivery went smoothly, and both mother and daughter are safe."

"This is no small matter," Lin Haoran said seriously. "You are my most capable assistant, and more importantly, my friend. How about this, I'll have someone prepare a gift for the little princess tomorrow as her one-month celebration."

"Boss, this is too much of a waste," Su Zhixue quickly declined.

“That’s only right.” Lin Haoran waved his hand, then asked with concern, “How is your wife’s postpartum recovery going? Does she need a postpartum nanny?”

"Thank you for your concern, boss. My wife is recovering very well. We've already hired an experienced postpartum nanny, and my mother came all the way from Hong Kong last month to help out. Everything at home is arranged perfectly."

Lin Haoran nodded in satisfaction: "That's good. Remember, no matter how busy you are with work, spend more time with your family. You can adjust your work hours appropriately during this period. Don't work overtime after get off work; stay home and take care of your wife and children."

These words deeply moved Su Zhixue. He hadn't expected his boss to care so much not only about his work but also about such trivial family matters.

The convoy had by then entered Times Square and stopped in front of the office building where Huanyu Investment was located.

When Huanyu Investment Company first established itself in New York, Lin Haoran specifically bought an entire floor of an office building less than 100 meters from the NASDAQ Stock Exchange for Huanyu Investment Company to use.

Therefore, Huanyu Investment Company is the owner of this building, not a tenant.

Led by Su Zhixue, Lin Haoran, Li Weidong, and others entered the building and took a private elevator directly to the floor where Huanyu Investment Company was located.

Stepping out of the elevator, a modern office environment comes into view.

"boss."

"Hi boss."

"Finally, I saw the boss again."

One by one, familiar faces appeared before Lin Haoran.

Han Zixing, Shi Zhensheng, Qi Fen, Zhao Lin and other veteran employees of Huanyu Investment Company stepped forward to greet them warmly.

These are all Lin Haoran's capable lieutenants who followed him in Hong Kong and are now continuing to serve him in New York.

Lin Haoran greeted everyone with a smile: "Zixing, I heard you've been doing a great job investing in tech stocks lately; Zhensheng, you've done a great job with risk control; Afen, your biotechnology investment projects are very insightful; Zhao Lin, I heard you're no longer in charge of the front desk and have started learning about finance and participating in financial oversight?"

The people whose names were mentioned couldn't help but show expressions of surprise.

They didn't expect that their boss, who was far away in Hong Kong, knew so much about their work situation in New York.

Zhao Lin nodded with delight: "Yes, boss! President Su gave me the opportunity to learn about finance, and now I can assist in reviewing the financial data of some investment projects."

Han Zixing exclaimed excitedly, "Boss, you actually remembered everyone's work priorities!"

“Of course I remember.” Lin Haoran looked around at everyone. “You are all veterans of Huanyu Investment, and the team I trust most. I’m very pleased to see everyone doing so well in New York.”

Su Zhixue explained from the side, "Although the boss is in Hong Kong, he's always been keeping a close eye on the company's development. Every time I report on my work, he asks in detail about everyone's progress."

These words moved the employees present even more.

They had initially thought that working far away in New York might lead to them being gradually forgotten by their boss, since they knew that their boss's status in the business world was rising and he was no longer the boss who only managed a few employees.

But they didn't expect that Lin Haoran had been paying close attention to everyone's performance all along.

Shi Zhensheng said with emotion, "Boss, rest assured, we will definitely make Huanyu Investment even better and will live up to your expectations."

"Very good." Lin Haoran nodded in satisfaction. "Let's go, take me to see the new office environment."

Under Su Zhixue's guidance, Lin Haoran toured the entire office building.

The modern office area, well-equipped meeting rooms, and comfortable rest area all demonstrate professionalism and strength.

Moreover, Lin Haoran also noticed that compared to a year ago, there are now many new faces among the employees of Huanyu Investment Company.

He specifically checked the employees' loyalty to the company and was fairly satisfied; even the worst performers had scores in the seventies, saving him the trouble of asking Su Zhixue to fire them.

After the tour, Lin Haoran and Su Zhixue went to the general manager's office.

After closing the door, Su Zhixue pulled out a chair for Lin Haoran and asked the boss to sit down.

Then, he went to the bookshelf behind the desk, used a key to open a cabinet, took out a document, and then returned to Lin Haoran's side.

"Boss, now that you're in New York, I can give you a face-to-face report on the situation of our Huanyu Investment Company!"

Su Zhixue respectfully handed the documents to Lin Haoran: "Boss, this is a detailed operational report of our Huanyu Investment Company over the past two years, including the returns of all investment projects, asset allocation ratios, and future investment plans."

Lin Haoran took the documents, glanced at them, and smiled, "I'll take them back and look at them later. Tell me first about the current shareholding situation of our Huanyu Investment Company in various listed companies."

Upon hearing this, Su Zhixue immediately pulled out a document from the files and placed it in front of Lin Haoran: "Boss, this is a list of all the listed company shares we currently hold, all of which were invested according to your instructions."

Currently, in addition to holding shares in 13 US companies, we also hold shares in 5 European companies and 6 Japanese companies, totaling 24 listed companies.

Lin Haoran took the document and began to browse through it carefully.

The list details Huanyu Investment's shareholding percentages and investment amounts in each company.

Intel Corporation holds a 7.2% stake, with an investment of $1.85 million, and its current market value is $2.86 million.
ExxonMobil holds a 4.7% stake, with an investment of $3.53 million, and its current market capitalization is $13.73 billion.
Schlumberger holds a 4.1% stake, with an investment of $2.89 million, and its current market value is $6.64 million.
Chevron holds a 5.89% stake, with an investment of $3.14 million, and its current market capitalization is $8.52 million.
Citibank holds a 5.43% stake, with an investment of $2.17 million, and its current market value is $2.92 million.
Walmart holds a 20.3% stake, with an investment of $5380 million, and the current market value is $3.37 million.
Coca-Cola holds a 4.99% stake, with an investment of $1.98 million, and a current market value of $2.63 million.
Berkshire Hathaway, Disney, Altria Group...

A total of 24 international corporate giants were clearly listed in front of Lin Haoran.

The shares held by Citibank here only include the secret shareholding of Universal Investment Company in Citibank, and do not include the 3% that Lin Haoran previously financed in Citibank, or the 3% obtained from the sale of Haifeng Bank.

In other words, Lin Haoran now effectively controls 11.43% of Citibank's shares.

As for Walmart's 20.3% stake, it's because they invested $1500 million to acquire 10% of the shares initially, with the remainder being acquired covertly later.

As Lin Haoran read through the words, Su Zhixue explained from the side: "Boss, your investments are truly brilliant. Last year, affected by the oil crisis, the stock prices of some American energy companies soared."

When we first started investing, energy companies were one of our key investment areas. The stock prices of oil companies such as ExxonMobil, Chevron, and Schlumberger have increased several times over, so we have made a lot of money on our shares.

Unlike the 1973 oil crisis, this oil crisis did not lead to a bear market in the US stock market. Instead, it ushered in a spectacular bull market.

Therefore, the funds we've invested over the past two years, in terms of paper market value, have more than doubled!

At that moment, Lin Haoran also saw the final summary in the documents.

The total investment amounted to US$63.82 billion. Based on the current market value, the total market value of the shares held by Universal Investment Company in these 24 companies is approximately US$138.92 billion!
Lin Haoran was also very surprised to see this.

Unexpectedly, without realizing it, his Huanyu Investment Company had developed to this extent.

138.92 billion US dollars!

If converted to Hong Kong dollars, that would be over 70 billion Hong Kong dollars!

These are all assets that truly belong to Lin Haoran.

This was in 1981!

If this information were released, it would shock the world.

Lin Haoran took a deep breath to calm his excitement.

In the past two or three years, apart from investing a portion in companies in Hong Kong, he has invested most of the money he earned from several major opportunities into Huanyu Investment Company.

Therefore, he was not surprised by the investment of up to $63.82 billion.

Surprisingly, without anyone noticing, this investment, originally planned for the next ten, twenty, or even thirty years, more than doubled in just two or three years.

Of course, compared to the returns of dozens of times his previous investments, the current return of just over 100% seems insignificant.

But Lin Haoran knew that those opportunities were rare and hard to come by.

Investments like those of Huanyu Investment Company today are legitimate long-term investments and represent his future business strategy.

He looked at Walmart and asked in surprise, "What's Walmart's market value now? How did it increase so much?"

"Boss, since Walmart received your funding, it quickly and smoothly acquired BigK Department Stores, increasing its number of stores from 229 to over 350, making it the second largest department store in the United States."

In the following year or so, Walmart received further financing from Citibank, successfully surpassing Kmart, the largest supermarket chain in the United States, to become the number one department store in the country.

Its market value has also increased from $1.89 million to $16.6 billion, more than eight times in less than two years! Su Zhixue was clearly a little emotional when talking about Walmart.

Lin Haoran's initial investment in Walmart was indeed facilitated by Citibank.

To his surprise, Walmart showed amazing growth momentum after receiving the investment.

What surprised Lin Haoran even more was that Citibank, which had not been optimistic about Walmart, had now taken the initiative to participate in the financing.

With ample financial support and smoother distribution channels, Walmart's growth rate significantly exceeded the trajectory Lin Haoran remembered.

All these changes stemmed from Lin Haoran's intervention.

It must be said that, without anyone noticing, his appearance alone has quietly changed the course of many things.

From the commercialization of mobile communications in Hong Kong to the rapid development of Walmart today, the world is undergoing subtle yet profound changes because of his existence.

(End of this chapter)