A century-old wealthy family that rose from Shanghai

Chapter 188 Day and Night

The day before the "delivery" of the Shanghai Standard Gold Exchange, Standard Gold continued its unstoppable upward trend and rose to over 530.

This is not a market situation that can be manipulated by an individual. Due to the Great Depression in Europe and the United States, the price of gold has risen; at the same time, the gold-silver exchange rate has been soaring, so the standard gold in the Shanghai Stock Exchange has been rising all the way.

When he met Cheng Linsheng again, Chen Guangliang found that this man was not only not "calm", but also looked like a "gambler" with bloodshot eyes.

The bid price increased from 10 in October last year to 405 at the end of April this year. Cheng Linsheng conservatively estimated that he had lost 4 or 530 million yuan.

Of course, this amount of money would not bankrupt him. If Chen Guangliang guessed correctly, Cheng Linsheng should be using their family's property as collateral to obtain loans.

Judging from the current situation, the real estate market is booming, and Cheng Linsheng's creditors believe that repaying the loan will not be a problem with the rent from the Cheng family's properties alone, and there is not much risk.

Little did they know that a 'real estate storm' was brewing!

Cheng Linsheng walked up to Chen Guangliang and said with a forced smile, "Boss Chen, congratulations on winning again!"

Chen Guangliang replied, "It was the market that made me win! Mr. Cheng, why don't we buy more together and make money together!"

Then who loses?

This is a betting market. If the 'long' forces have an absolute advantage, the price will have risen very high before you buy many chips.

If there weren't big losers like Cheng Linsheng, how could people like Chen Guangliang make so much money?

Chen Guangliang said this just to deliberately provoke Cheng Linsheng.

Cheng Linsheng snorted coldly and said, "This market won't always rise. We'll fight again next month!"

Chen Guangliang said: "The market will tell the truth."

He has already earned 255 million yuan from 'standard gold futures' alone, and is not far from his target of '300 million'.

It can be said that in the remaining two months of the first half of the year, Changjiang Bank did not need too many tricks, just increasing the speed of buying chips at the opening. It might sell some chips midway and then buy them back at a low price, but the overall operation would definitely remain unchanged.

As long as the price of benchmark gold reaches 620, Chen Guangliang plans to stop and stop trading benchmark gold futures.

"Boss, the market is closing, the price is 532, another big increase this month!" Hu Jinshun reported happily.

"Well, we'll be closing the accounts in the next few days. Please work hard, keep the accounts clear, and collect all the profits."

"Okay, I will definitely cooperate with Manager Wu."

Next month, Chen Guangliang plans to use the profits of these two months as a 'guarantee' to increase their quota.

However, this increased amount (five million) does not have to be purchased, it is just a chip for "doing T" in a special case.

Of course, if the standard gold continues to rise, there is no need to "do T".

The first 10 million quota is for quickly grabbing chips; the additional 5 million quota is for purchasing new chips when the market has a large correction.

On Saturday morning, Chen Guangliang woke up early.

Looking at the time on his watch, it was only five forty-five in the morning. He was used to getting up at this time.

He then went to the dressing room to change into a suit and combed his hair in front of the mirror. He never thought that taking care of himself was a waste of time. A clean and tidy appearance could give people a better impression and put himself in a good mood, which was beneficial to his career.

Chen Guangliang, who is 20 years old this year, has grown to 1.78 meters tall, and that is the height when he is barefoot.

I remember that when he first crossed over, he was probably less than 1.65 meters tall, which was considered tall for that era. In just three years, Chen Guangliang grew more than ten centimeters taller.

Of course, what makes Chen Guangliang most proud is the improvement in physical fitness, including memory, reaction, agility, strength, endurance, etc., which are probably already the limits of human beings.

Of course, Chen Guangliang hid all this very well. Even the bodyguards who occasionally trained with him only knew that the boss's skills were okay, and that was all.

After tidying himself up, Chen Guangliang walked to the lobby on the first floor, only to see the 'bodyguard leader' Lin Feng sitting half-buttocks on the sofa.

Seeing Chen Guangliang coming down, Lin Feng quickly stood up and said, "Brother Liang..."

Chen Guangliang nodded, leaned back on the sofa, and asked kindly, "Your wife is about to give birth, right? Do you have anyone ready to take care of her at home? If not, I can grant you a long vacation. After all, it's such a big deal!"

Lin Feng immediately waved his hand and said, "Brother Liang, no need. My parents are at home taking care of us, and you've found a hospital for us, so there won't be any problem."

Chen Guangliang smiled and said, "Anyway, when your wife is about to give birth, you should take ten days off. Don't lose our dignity as men!"

Lin Feng was deeply moved and said: "Thank you, Brother Liang"

"What are you thanking me for? We are all brothers."

If you are not nice to the people around you, how can you gain their loyalty?
"Silver medal bodyguards" like Lin Feng enjoy a monthly salary of 150, and more importantly, benefits, including company-arranged housing, holiday benefits, money for marriage and childbirth, year-end bonuses, lifelong pension, etc.

Chen Guangliang read a book for a while. Another bodyguard, Ajun, came in, handed a few newspapers to Lin Feng, and was about to leave.

"Ajun, please book a few rickshaws for us so we can tour Shanghai together."

"Okay, boss."

After breakfast, Chen Guangliang and his group boarded five three-wheeled rickshaws and headed towards Shilipu Wharf.

Perhaps it was luck that Chen Guangliang's driver turned out to be an old acquaintance.

"Old Zhou, how's your health lately?"

Old Zhou, who was riding a bicycle, almost burst into tears when he heard this. He said as he rode his bicycle, "Boss, I'm still very strong. What's more, we can all ride bicycles now, and we don't have to pull a bicycle anymore. I won't have pain here or there anymore!"

Chen Guangliang smiled and said, "As long as you are healthy, are there any difficulties in your life?"

Old Zhou quickly said, "Thanks to you, boss, for thinking of us. Now our rent is lower than other car dealerships, and we can receive dividends every quarter. Moreover, the dealership has switched to three-wheeled rickshaws. We are all very grateful to you!"

"As long as everyone is doing well, I often think of the days when I pulled carts with everyone. It was quite comfortable back then!"

"Boss, do you still remember me, Lao Zhou?"

"I immediately remember that we first met when you were still working at another car dealership."

Chen Guangliang felt in a good mood as he chatted with his old colleagues.

He may not be able to change the poverty and backwardness of China, but he can change some people around him.

The emergence of tricycles saved many rickshaw pullers from ten years of hard labor and also promoted the advancement of transportation methods;
Because tricycles can also be used to transport goods, for example, Vitasoy and Jierui Coal Briquettes have purchased equivalent "tricycles" to transport goods.

There is also Vitasoy, which has improved the physical fitness of children from ordinary families; there are also honeycomb coal briquettes, and even the "tiered and installment real estate model", which are all changing this society.

When he arrived at Shiliupu, Chen Guangliang looked at the coolies at the dock and felt a little emotional - these were the real beasts of burden.

It is a cruel thing in the world that a person with such a thin body has to carry large and small bags of goods.

Some frail figures, still barely children, joined the procession, carrying heavy loads, each step a struggle. The term "ox-horse" itself originated in this era, initially referring to rickshaw pullers as "ox-horse" or "ox-horse-walking," and then gradually extended to other lower-class laborers.

It couldn’t be more appropriate!

I saw an adult pulling a huge and heavy load on a wheelbarrow, with a child of about thirteen or fourteen years old supporting him from behind. These people were pale and thin, and their clothes were dirty and torn.

Thinking that there was still half a century to go, Chen Guangliang began to worry about the country and the people, but he quickly calmed down. It was useless for him to worry about these things.

Finally, Chen Guangliang turned his attention to the large and small cargo ships on the river, which was his sudden target today.

He wants to do shipping and trading!

As far as Chen Guangliang knew, with the Great Depression in Europe and the United States, there must be very cheap ships in their major ports. If he took the opportunity to buy at the bottom and own a "large fleet", he could open up a "north-south route", a "route to Southeast Asia", and even a route to Europe.

More importantly, airplanes were not safe in this era, so ships were the only transportable asset. In the future, people could go to Hong Kong directly by ship.

Trade is also very important, such as rice, sugar and rubber in Southeast Asia. If a trade network can be established, he will have control over the resources.

Thinking of this, Chen Guangliang became interested in these two industries.

"Go back"

"Yes, boss"

Following Chen Guangliang's order, the rickshaw team rushed towards Nanjing West Road, passing Huangpu Beach Road and Nanjing East Road.

At this time, Chen Guangliang had a lot of thoughts in his mind!

He was dressed in expensive clothes and had a noble appearance. He always attracted a lot of attention along the way and became the object of envy of many people.

The gap between the rich and the poor is a small matter, but people in this era are still divided into "noble and humble".

Of course, many people in this era also rose from a lowly background, just as the song goes:
"The waves are running

Thousands of miles of Taotao, the river's water never ends

wiped out the world
mixed up with a trend

Is it joy or sorrow
Can't tell the difference between laughter and sorrow in the waves

Success Failure
There is no telling what is in the waves.”

What I see and hear at night is as different from what I see and hear during the day as heaven and earth.

In the evening, Chen Guangliang attended a social event, where he had dinner and talked with Hong Yanbin and Huang Chunsun.

As his car passed Nanjing East Road, the neon lights were already on, and the famous "Night Shanghai" scene had already taken shape. High officials, feudal bureaucrats, old-style warlords, foreigners, and all kinds of people appeared one after another.

Shanghai at night was a place of revelry, debauchery, and wanton excess. Even some American sailors flocked to the bars to get drunk, where these foreigners would cuddle with Chinese dancers, ride in rickshaws, and act recklessly. Of course, there were also many "White Russian prostitutes" who served as prostitutes.

In fact, during the Great Depression in the 1930s, even British women would run to Hong Kong and Shanghai to work as "foreign prostitutes"; perhaps because they had been oppressed by foreigners for a long time, some wealthy Chinese liked to find foreign prostitutes in order to "revitalize China."

Chen Guangliang's motorcade drove to the door of the "Chinachem Hotel", and then the doorman opened the door for them, and Chen Guangliang walked into the hotel.

He is not a frequent visitor here, but after the renovation of the "Dahua Hotel", he occasionally chooses to entertain friends here and learn from their strengths.

Chen Guangliang felt that the Shangri-La Hotel could match the service and management of the Chinachem Hotel, or even surpass it. Of course, in terms of luxury, the Shangri-La Hotel might be a bit inferior, after all, the investment was not as large.

The Cathay Hotel's air conditioning and local telephone systems surpass even those of European hotels. Its elegantly decorated guest rooms and suites, combined with cutting-edge technology and the most luxurious and comfortable amenities, are truly unparalleled.

Of course, the Shangri-La Hotel is slightly inferior in terms of positioning, but it can definitely become a dazzling pearl in Shanghai.

"Mr. Chen"

"Brother Yanbin, Brother Chunsun"

The three giants of Oriental Daily News then sat down in the Dragon and Phoenix Hall of the Chinachem Hotel, where Americans were performing jazz music.

During this era, any place where Americans performed jazz music, whether it was a dance hall or a restaurant, was considered a very high-end place. For example, a night at a dance hall with jazz music performances would cost more than $25.

Huang Chunsun then said, "Mr. Chen, last time you said you wanted the Oriental Newspaper to start a football team, I also heard about an opportunity!"

Chen Guangliang immediately asked with concern: "What kind of opportunity is it, Brother Chunsun, please tell me!"

Running a football team is not an easy task. The most important thing is to have talented people.

Huang Chunsun then said: "The Lehua team has disbanded. If we want to start a football team, we can support this team's reconstruction!"

Chen Guangliang nodded and said, "The Lehua team is indeed an amazing football team, including the 'King of Football' Li Huitang, as well as veteran players like Li Ning, Dai Linjing, Chen Yutian, and Chen Pu. Each of them is a football talent. But why did it suddenly disband?"

This football team, founded in 1924, had an outstanding record in matches against foreign teams, winning the 1927-1928 Senior Cup and the First Division League Championship, thus establishing the status of Chinese in the Shanghai football world.

Huang Chunsun said: "There must be many reasons. In addition to the conflict between the old team members and Li Huitang, it is more likely due to financial reasons!"

Chen Guangliang also seemed to remember that after the Lehua team disbanded, the Donghua team was reorganized, but the "King of Football" Li Huitang did not join this team. Later, a good football player emerged from this team, that is, Jia Youliang.

"By the way, do the Shanghai football team players get paid?"

Huang Chunsun said: "Apart from the expenses required for the competition, the players do not need to be paid wages, because most of them are part-time and it is also a hobby for everyone!"

Chen Guangliang then said, "I want Oriental Daily to form a professional football team. The players will be paid and train full-time. The team will be called 'Oriental Team'. Oriental Daily can be the sponsor, and I can also provide financial support. What do you two think?"

Hong Yanbin immediately said, "The biggest problem is that running a team takes time. Mr. Chen, you don't have that much time, do you?"

Chen Guangliang said, "If I were to become president, I could hand over management to the team manager and coach, and there shouldn't be any problems. Besides, Oriental Daily's sponsorship of the football team would help increase the newspaper's influence and sales, and it would also serve as an advertising opportunity."

Hong Yanbin no longer objected, but said, "If that's the case, then it won't be a big problem. Chunsun and I are willing to help Mr. Chen accomplish this!"

Chen Guangliang immediately bowed and said, "Thank you for your support, Brother Yanbin."

While he certainly deserves the lion's share of credit for the Oriental Daily's success, Hong Yanbin and Huang Chunsun also contributed greatly. The key point is that Chen Guangliang built the Oriental Daily into a "not very profitable" business, and the fact that no one objected is truly remarkable!

Of course, the ones who suffered the most were Yu Qiaqing and Du Yuesheng. In the past few years, they had basically no hope of dividends and could not participate in management.

On the contrary, Hong Yanbin and Huang Chunsun at least received a high salary, which was also considered as a reward.

Chen Guangliang is the most generous. He doesn't take a penny. Logically, his salary should be the highest, after all, he has made the greatest contribution.

But Chen Guangliang also has his own ideas, that is, the influence that "Oriental Daily" can bring to him is enough, and the same is true for supporting the football team, which also requires influence.

After finishing the social event, the three of them went back to their respective homes!

(End of this chapter)