A century-old wealthy family that rose from Shanghai

Upon arrival in London, Audrey Hepburn personally greeted them at the airport, and the group boarded a convoy of Rolls-Royces and headed towards their home in London.

The three branches of the family had already gathered, awaiting Chen Guangliang, the founder of the family. This branch already had five of his grandsons, and two more were in the womb. Chen Guangliang's son and daughter-in-law were able to carry out his 'will'—to strive to expand the third generation.

"Dadd, I've found a boyfriend and we're thinking about getting married!"

Soon, his mixed-race daughter, Chen Daiyi, told him some 'good news'.

Chen Guangliang asked, "What nationality is the other person?"

Chen Daiyi took his arm, but said somewhat cautiously, "He's British, from the Boot family!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Guangliang frowned. If Chen Daiyi were a boy, he would encourage her to form alliances with local political families or nobles. The key is that she is a girl.

"Decided?"

Chen Daiyi said confidently, "Yes, he has proposed to me, and I said yes. I'm sorry, Daddy, I haven't met a Chinese person I like!"

Originally, Chen Guangliang's requirement for his four daughters was that they marry Chinese men, so that he could be closer to them.

"Since you've made your decision, I will support you."

Chen Daiyi then said, "Dadd, thank you, Harold Group from now on!"

Chen Guangliang said directly, "I will have your mother give you a portion of the shares as your dowry."

He naturally wouldn't let his daughter inherit the 'luxury goods group' that symbolized the family; he could give her shares, but she would definitely not have the right to inherit.

Chen Daiyi also sensed that her father had changed his mind, but that's the cruelty of a large family.

If Harold Group were to be inherited by her, it would be tantamount to giving this lucrative gift to the Butt family, while the Chen family would be doing the work for another family.

night.

Audrey Hepburn leaned against Chen Guangliang and said, "Fortunately, I am currently the chairman of the board of directors of Harrods, Vincent is the executive director, and Daisy has just become a director. Otherwise, your arrangement would probably make her very unhappy with you."

Chen Guangliang sighed and said, "There's nothing we can do about it. The future of Harold Group is a symbol of our family, including Château Latour, the Gucci brand that I'm planning to have you acquire, and the many more luxury brands we need to acquire in the future. These are all symbols of our family, and I won't allow them to be passed down to other families."

Audrey Hepburn nodded; she also had some reservations about her daughter marrying a nobleman.

On the surface, they are known as the 'Hepburn family,' and she was the founder of this European family. Therefore, her daughter's move may be a way of transferring the 'Hepburn family' business to the Butt family.

She said decisively, "Let Vincent inherit it. Besides his real estate business, he's also involved in the management of Harrods, so it makes perfect sense. As for Daisy, she can assist her brother. I won't let her be a housewife."

Becoming a housewife means becoming a complete appendage of the Bute family.

"Okay, you can decide!"

Audrey Hepburn then asked curiously, "You said you planned to have Harrods acquire Gucci. As far as I know, the Gucci family is indeed embroiled in internal strife, but the chances of them selling Gucci are very small, right?"

Chen Guangliang laughed and said, "It is precisely because of internal strife that there is hope. We need the support of one side now to buy the other side's shares, maybe 50%, to initially present the illusion that it is just a strategic investment. When the time is right, we will take the opportunity to buy the remaining shares and completely control Gucci. As far as I know, Maurizio (the third generation) and his uncle's family are not on good terms. We should send Vinci to contact him, get his support, and find an opportunity to buy the shares of his uncle's family."

Audrey Hepburn understood and immediately said, "Yes, I believe Vincent can do it, and he is as intelligent as his older brother."

Chen Wenxi currently owns a British real estate company, but its achievements are far less impressive than those of his brother Chen Wenou. In addition, Chen Wenxi also assisted his mother in the acquisition of Harrods and Audrey's investment company.

However, Chen Wenxi is still young (29 years old) and lacks opportunities. But opportunities are coming one after another. Whether it is the Canary Wharf project in the UK or the luxury goods group, he will play a role.

However, Chen Wenxi estimates that he cannot handle the Canary Wharf project in London on his own, so CK Asset Holdings and Amazon Group will be his supporters.

Although Audrey Hepburn was older, she still looked young, appearing to be a woman in her thirties. She maintained a good weight, neither too thin nor too fat.

The next morning, everyone saw that the mother was radiant and had a smile on her face, and they immediately smiled knowingly.

Although her father was a womanizer, her mother still cherished the few moments she spent with him, and each time she did, she felt much younger. Moreover, the impression given was that the Chen family children appreciated their father's abilities, and the Chen family daughters-in-law did not dislike their father-in-law's womanizing ways, nor did they feel alienated because of it.

While having breakfast, Chen Wenxi said, "Father, since Harrods reopened, the average daily customer traffic has increased by 35%, and the contribution rate of VIP customers has remained at around 65%. If you have time today, you can go shopping with Mother!"

This pleased Audrey Hepburn greatly, and she gave her youngest son a big look of approval.

Chen Guangliang naturally wouldn't refuse. Although he kept mistresses outside, he had very good feelings for his four wives and concubines.

"Okay, let's go take a look."

The newly renovated Harrods department store boasts increasingly sophisticated service facilities. The basement lounge offers wine tasting and aromatherapy services, while the second-floor tea room serves authentic English afternoon tea. A dedicated tea connoisseur selects different aroma bases and pairs them with dried flowers and sweeteners to create a unique "VIP exclusive tea." The entire seven-story luxury building is divided into 330 boutiques, attracting numerous top luxury brands and limited-edition niche brands.

As one of the top department stores in London and even the world, Harrods has become a representative of high-end retail that can withstand economic cycles by maximizing space value, managing product scarcity, and managing customer lifetime value.

Extravagant! High-end! Luxurious!

Audrey Hepburn changed into a gown, looking like a noblewoman. Of course, she was actually an aristocrat; the British Royal Family had long ago granted her a knighthood in recognition of her contributions to the world's toy industry and philanthropy.

She didn't care at all about what others thought, linking her arm with Chen Guangliang's, exuding a blissful, feminine charm. This gave the security team a headache, considering Audrey Hepburn's immense fame in Europe and America, and London being the birthplace of paparazzi.

From million-dollar bottles of Royal Dignity No. 1 perfume and Louis Roederer champagne in crystal and gold bottles, to limited-edition whiskies with only four sets sold worldwide, and an absolute limited-edition Gucci bag with only one piece in the world, to numerous Royal Warrants from Queen Elizabeth II, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, the Duke of Edinburgh (Prince Philip), and the Prince of Wales (Prince Charles), covering areas such as home furnishings, porcelain and glassware, clothing, and saddles, these items are all considered 'Royal Warrants'.
The manager of Harrods led Chen Guangliang and Audrey Hepburn on a tour of the luxurious aspects of Harrods.

“I want to buy you this bottle of Louis Roederer champagne in a crystal and gold bottle!” Audrey Hepburn whispered.

“You know, although I like luxurious and expensive things, my thoughts are not swayed by others,” Chen Guangliang and Audrey Hepburn whispered to each other.

The two interacted like a couple, which greatly surprised the manager of Harrods. He only knew that Chen Guangliang was the richest Chinese man and the world's shipping magnate, but he did not know that he was the real male owner of Harrods.

Audrey Hepburn whispered in Chen Guangliang's ear, "You are truly a wise man."

She naturally knew her husband's personality.

In Britain, and in other Western countries like Europe and the United States, anything bearing the title 'Royal' is undoubtedly extremely valuable. For example, in the 60s, Harolds had a Welsh gold salt with the same composition as ordinary mineral salt. However, because it received a Royal Warrant, this salt was allocated only 200 jars per year, ultimately resulting in a price per ounce 1000 times that of ordinary salt, making it comparable to gold.

This "quota economics" gradually became a standard strategy for its jewelry, watch and other departments, and was imitated by many luxury stores.

But clearly, Chen Guangliang never buys into that. He likes luxury goods, but he values ​​the product's true value and its potential for appreciation even more.

For example, he might buy rubies worth hundreds of thousands or millions of pounds, based on the fact that such rubies have the potential to appreciate in value; the same goes for diamonds, he and his wives and concubines only buy the most expensive ones, because that is the only way to ensure their value appreciates and is preserved.

Simply put, you not only enjoy yourself, but you also make money in the end! Of course.

In the end, Chen Guangliang and Audrey Hepburn returned home with a full load of purchases, including wine and jewelry, spending a considerable sum.

On the morning of his third day in London, Chen Guangliang habitually sat at the mahogany table in the manor's study, with several local newspapers, including The Times and The Guardian, spread out in front of him.

A short news item of less than a hundred words in a corner of The Daily Telegraph made his fingers pause.

The title is unassuming: "Engineer Dyson invents 'bagless vacuum cleaner,' but British manufacturers all refuse to cooperate." The text is brief, only mentioning that James Dyson spent five years and made more than 5,000 prototypes, but was rejected by more than a dozen British home appliance manufacturers because of its "disruptive design and high production costs," and is now in a difficult situation.

Others might see this as a "little episode of a loser," but Chen Guangliang narrowed his eyes and repeatedly stroked the three words "dust-free bag" with his fingertips.

He was acutely aware of the pain points of traditional vacuum cleaners—the suction power decreased when the dust bag became clogged, requiring frequent replacements, which was both troublesome and environmentally unfriendly. To him, "disrupting tradition" wasn't a drawback, but a huge business opportunity.

"The short-sightedness of British manufacturers does not mean that this invention is worthless."

After dinner, the manor lights gradually came on.

Chen Guangliang called Chen Wenxi into his study and pushed the folded newspaper directly in front of his son: "Take a look at this news."

Chen Wenxi picked up the newspaper, read it quickly, and when he looked up, his eyes showed a hint of understanding—his father never spoke without a purpose, and any news that his father would specifically mention must contain an extraordinary opportunity.

"Is Father interested in this 'bagless vacuum cleaner'?" he asked tentatively.

"It's not just an interest, it's an opportunity."

Chen Guangliang leaned back in his chair, his tone resolute: "Go find this James Dyson tomorrow and find out the details of his invention, his funding needs, and his cooperation requirements—the more detailed the better. Remember, go as the executive director of Harrods—it will show your sincerity and give him enough confidence."

Chen Wenxi nodded immediately: "I understand. I'll check his contact information first thing tomorrow morning and try to meet him as soon as possible."

He knew how sharp his father's eyesight was!
Using his connections in London, Chen Wenxi quickly found James Dyson's address—a small workshop in the suburbs of Bath, more than two hours' drive from London. Instead of having his driver take a Rolls-Royce, he chose a low-key black Jaguar, accompanied only by an assistant, and drove there himself.

The workshop was more rudimentary than I had imagined: a rented old warehouse with several cardboard boxes full of parts piled up at the entrance, and the sound of a chainsaw cutting plastic coming from inside.

When Chen Wenxi pushed open the door, James Dyson was squatting on the ground, holding a prototype vacuum cleaner in his hand. His face was covered in oil, his hair was messy, and there was an unfinished sandwich on the table next to him—he had obviously just finished eating.

"Excuse me, are you Mr. James Dyson?"

Chen Wenxi extended his hand and introduced himself with a smile: "I am West Hepburn, the executive director of Harrods."

Upon hearing the words "Harrods," Dyson abruptly looked up, his eyes filled with disbelief.

He was so afraid of being rejected lately, from top home appliance manufacturers to small workshops, no one was willing to believe in his invention. Now, a senior executive from Harrods actually came to his door.

He hurriedly wiped the grease off his hands, gripped Chen Wenxi's hand tightly, and said, "Mr. West? You...you came for the vacuum cleaner?"

"Yes."

Chen Wenxi looked around the workshop, his gaze falling on the notebooks filled with sketches and the scattered prototypes on the table—more than five thousand prototypes, which meant that he had been trying and failing almost every day for five years. This persistence made him admire him even more.

"I'd like to see your invention and hear your thoughts."

Dyson immediately perked up, pulled Chen Wenxi to the workbench, picked up a silver vacuum cleaner prototype, and pressed the switch.

Unlike the roaring sound of traditional vacuum cleaners, this prototype is exceptionally quiet when in operation, yet its suction power is astonishing—he poured a pile of scraps of paper and dust on the ground, and the vacuum cleaner swept it over, instantly sucking it all up clean, without any dust bag.

“You see, it uses cyclone separation technology, so there’s no need for a dust bag, the suction power doesn’t decrease, and it can be reused.” Dyson’s eyes gleamed as he explained rapidly, “I made 5,127 prototypes before I found the perfect cyclone structure, but the British manufacturers said, ‘Consumers are used to dust bags and won’t buy it,’ and they all rejected me.”

Chen Wenxi carefully examined the prototype, touched the plastic casing of the device, and inquired about production costs, patent status, and ideas for a cooperation model.

At this time, James Dyson's bank account was overdrawn by £15, his wife had sold all her treasured paintings to supplement their income, and they still had three children to support...

So he offered him a cruel condition: "If Harold is willing to fund the construction of a manufacturing plant for me, which would cost around £90, I'm willing to give up 50% of the equity. I know it's risky, but I can guarantee that the products will get better and better, and I have many new ideas..."

Looking at his embarrassed yet determined expression, Chen Wenxi had already made a judgment in his mind.

He smiled, his tone gentle yet firm: "Mr. Dyson, collaboration is possible. I admire your innovative spirit and perseverance, and Harold is willing to support truly valuable inventions."

He didn't make any demanding conditions, but simply arranged to meet with Dyson at Harrods headquarters in London three days later for a detailed discussion before taking his leave—he knew that his father didn't want "bargaining," but rather to seize this opportunity as soon as possible.

That evening, Chen Wenxi returned to his London estate and immediately went to the study to see Chen Guangliang.

After Chen Wenxi reported the situation, Chen Guangliang smiled.

Pointing to Japan on the map, Chen Guangliang said with foresight, "We can't let him build a factory in the UK first, nor can we launch it into the European and American markets now. The British manufacturers' refusal is not without reason—European and American consumers are deeply ingrained in their habits of using traditional vacuum cleaners, and launching new products rashly is likely to be met with a cold reception."

Chen Wenxi was stunned: "So you mean..."

“Send him to Japan.” Chen Guangliang’s words were resolute. “Japan is a country obsessed with ‘extreme innovation.’ They value ‘continuous improvement.’ Even a 1% improvement every day will result in a huge breakthrough in the long run. Dyson’s vacuum cleaners need optimization—reducing production costs, improving the appearance design, and enhancing the user experience. Japan can provide the best supply chain and technical support for all of these. Moreover, Japanese consumers are willing to pay for ‘innovation.’ As long as the product is good enough, they will accept it.”

He paused, then continued, "Once we've built a reputation in Japan and secured a certain market share, we can return to the European and American markets—that will be our 'return to glory.' The British manufacturers' initial rejection will become the best promotional material."

Chen Wenxi was completely impressed by his father's strategic vision. He had only thought about "investing in building a factory" before, but he had not thought about the importance of "market selection".

"Regarding funding, will we use the family office's money, or...?"

“Use the money from the three-bedroom apartment, and invest in your name.” Chen Guangliang looked at his son with a solemn expression. “This is not a simple ‘funding’; it’s your angel investment. I believe Dyson can not only make vacuum cleaners, but also hair dryers, air purifiers, and even more home products in the future. He is a promising inventor. What you need to do is help him build a team, optimize the supply chain, and develop market strategies to make Dyson a top global home furnishing company.”

He stood up, patted Chen Wenxi on the shoulder, and said with expectation, "Investing 90 pounds now could yield billions or even tens of billions of pounds in return in the future. This is an opportunity I'm giving you, and it's another important business segment for the Third House in addition to luxury goods and media."

Chen Wenxi's nose suddenly stung with tears—his father was always like this, leaving the most promising opportunities for them and teaching them how to seize them step by step. He nodded vigorously, his voice choked with emotion: "Thank you, Father. I will certainly not let you down. I will reach an agreement with Dyson as soon as possible, arrange for him to go to Japan to investigate, contact the local supply chain, and strive to launch the product as soon as possible."

Their family has extensive connections in Japan.

"it is good."

Chen Guangliang watched his son's resolute back and a relieved smile appeared on his face.

Only when the sons grow stronger can the foundation of the family become more stable. (End of Chapter)