America: My Time

Chapter 1221 The Shocking Change in Neon

Chapter 1211 The Shocking Change in Neon
"Do we still need to continue visiting ATV?" After seeing Hong Jinbao and the others leave, Yang Gongru asked. In her opinion, she had brought Li Bingbing and the others to visit ATV to put pressure on the people at Phoenix Group. Now that this exchange had been completed, all the problems had been solved, so there was no need for her to continue!

Upon hearing this, John's gaze sharpened, then he shook his head and said, "Go on, you're overthinking it. If they don't understand the situation here, or the situation in Taiwan, how will they adapt to the company's arrangements for them? The restructuring of Phoenix Group is inevitable, but the training for them is also genuine. Now that this matter has been resolved, you won't have so much pressure or encounter resistance. You'll have to put in more effort. I'm afraid I won't be staying in Hong Kong anymore; I need to go to Japan to handle many things there!"

The situation in Japan and South Korea is becoming increasingly dangerous. The opportunity I've been waiting for has ripened, and it's time to make my move. Hokkaido Takushoku Bank is on the verge of bankruptcy, and investment companies are already discussing acquiring their businesses. Not only Hokkaido Takushoku Bank, but also Kyoto Kyoei Bank's businesses are being acquired, and Tokuyo Bank's business is also under negotiation.

Next will be the restructuring of the investment company, which will also involve reorganizing the banking businesses in Japan. A new bank will emerge in Japan, which is the opportunity John has been waiting for. Similarly, some businesses of San-Yi Securities and Sanyo Securities will also be acquired. With so much integration, John needs to step in.

The once unremarkable investment company has now undergone a major transformation. Considering future plans, it's impossible to merge these assets into Standard Chartered Bank, as that would alienate the Japanese public and face obstruction from the Japanese government. In comparison, the acquisition by the investment company to complete the integration is the best possible outcome.

As for South Korea, Lee Boo-jin hasn't sent back any news yet, but John believes it won't be long. Once he's dealt with things in Japan, there will likely be a result. It's best to resolve everything before the end of the year so he won't have to waste energy on this and can have a proper confrontation with Soros and the oil-rich capital. At the same time, he can also plunder more profits from this Asian financial crisis.

The investment company invested a huge amount of money in acquiring the banking and securities businesses in Japan, and it also faced considerable pressure. If it could take advantage of the Asian financial crisis to complete a major acquisition, it could open up the Japanese market in one fell swoop and gain Japan's recognition.

What could have made John make such a decision in such a short time? The ladies present weren't fools; they all understood it was the impact of the Asian financial crisis. Hong Kong was currently publicizing the Asian financial crisis and pointing the finger at Soros and the oil capital! Even if they hadn't been paying close attention, they knew what the hottest topic in Hong Kong was right now—compared to the restructuring of Phoenix Group, that was a minor matter!
"Neon, you're going to Neon?" A hint of surprise appeared in Yang Xiangru's eyes. Not only her, but the other beauties present were also shocked. They had only been in Hong Kong for a few days, and such a change had occurred, causing them a slight worry that new troubles might arise. After all, without their big boss John, they were somewhat concerned, given the significant impact of what had happened before!

Being unfamiliar with the place and its people, even with Yang Gongru making arrangements for them, they still felt uneasy, which is understandable. After all, they weren't familiar with Yang Gongru, and they could even sense a hint of hostility from her. In Yang Gongru's eyes, they were all her competitors, vying for her interests. Leaving aside the question of whether they would become John's women and stay by his side, they were also competitors for resources. Phoenix Film Studio's resources were limited, and the appearance of these beautiful women would naturally impact Yang Gongru's position.
To be honest, the beauties were all prepared. Before coming to Hong Kong, they had all received a reminder from Wang Jinhua that there is no reward without hard work when entering the entertainment industry. Moreover, they had all witnessed the rejection they faced in Hong Kong, which naturally put a lot of pressure on them.

In truth, Yang Gongru understood what choices these beauties would make, and she knew she couldn't stop them. She even knew some had already latched onto John's coattails, but she pretended not to know anything. After all, exposing everything wouldn't be good for her. At the same time, she also understood that Wang Zuxian and the others' departure wasn't as simple as it seemed. While it appeared they didn't want to continue without a formal relationship, there were many underlying issues. She understood how dangerous the business world was; after all, she had worked as John's secret agent for a time and knew the dangers involved.

John nodded and said, "We're leaving tomorrow. I'm leaving things here to you. Contact Huang Xizhao if anything happens. If you're going to Taiwan, contact Chu Hong. She's there and will handle anything for you. It won't be peaceful there; there are always some guys trying to cause trouble. I've already spoken to ATV, so there shouldn't be any problems!"

In truth, as long as those guys at ATV aren't stupid, they won't cause any more trouble. Even if some are dissatisfied, they'll have to endure it. If anyone dares to cause trouble again, they're only courting disaster. If there were enough time, John wouldn't have left Hong Kong at this time, but Japan can't wait any longer. If things aren't dealt with quickly, it will have a significant impact. John didn't say what the problem might be, but Yang Xiangru, Li Bingbing, and the other beauties all knew: it was rejection, rejection from the local artists. In the few days since they arrived in Hong Kong, people have already been targeting them because of resources. With the changes in the Hong Kong film market, many people have felt the pressure.

John didn't arrange for Li Bingbing and the other beauties to stay at the hotel at this time for a simple reason: problems could easily arise during this sensitive period. John didn't dare trust Soros and his cronies; after all, those guys were capable of anything. Moreover, the lure of money could also attract some reckless individuals. If it was a small amount of money to distract him, John believed Soros and his ilk would be willing to do so.

Of course, they wouldn't act personally, but would use some resources. After all, the British still have influence in Hong Kong. If something really happened, John wouldn't have a reason to confront these guys; they wouldn't leave any evidence. That's why John was being so cautious. Regarding the Phoenix Pictures incident, John didn't believe there was no other reason behind those guys' foolish actions; he just couldn't find evidence in the short term.

If John wanted to find evidence, he could, but doing so would fall into their trap and cause turmoil within the Phoenix Group. Otherwise, why would John let those guys off so easily? He said he was giving Zhang Guorong and the others face, but the biggest reason was that he didn't want to see the Phoenix Group in turmoil and was worried that it would affect his plans.

This isn't just about Phoenix Group's expansion plans; it also involves their own strategic layout in Japan and South Korea. If they were to get distracted at this time, the consequences would be enormous. John didn't want that to happen, which is why he made all these arrangements.

Did John feel pressure? Of course he did. With such a large-scale operation, such a severe financial crisis, and so many other problems, it would be a lie to say he wasn't. Even with his extensive experience, John still felt considerable pressure when the financial crisis hit, and he also felt significant pressure from the rejections he received from those in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong has now become a storm's eye, though all of this remains hidden beneath the surface. Soros and his cronies have never given up, and John knows not only that they have people watching Hong Kong, but also that the Hong Kong tycoons are aware of it. John's arrival wasn't without invitations from Hong Kong's bigwigs, but he declined them all. It wasn't that John was arrogant, but he knew that attending their parties required showing some 'sincerity,' and he didn't want to waste his money on them.

In John's eyes, he was not on the same level as these Hong Kong tycoons. It was impossible for him to waste his precious funds without any return. The Hong Kong tycoons would naturally understand his refusal, and whether they could accept it was not John's concern.

Does what these people think matter to him? Actually, it doesn't matter. The appearance of John, this butterfly, has already brought about many changes in Hong Kong. John, who controls enormous assets, naturally doesn't need to care about the opinions of these Hong Kong tycoons. Moreover, John has no intention of fighting with them in Hong Kong.

While Hong Kong's real estate market is attractive, it still lags far behind major cities in China, offering incomparable returns on investment. Under these circumstances, John naturally makes the decision that is most advantageous to him. John no longer has much ambition regarding Hong Kong's real estate market. After all, further expansion would bring him considerable trouble, and knowing when to stop is the best course of action to avoid unnecessary problems.

(End of this chapter)