Hong Kong variety show: The mastermind behind the scenes is emerging.

Central, Golden Harvest International.

The afternoon sun dappled through the blinds onto the newly installed mahogany desk. The air was filled with the rich aroma of cigars and a scent known as "victory."

"Boss, it's all done!"

Cheng Yiyan pushed open the door and entered, his steps light as if he were tap dancing. He waved a thick contract in his hand, and even his gold-rimmed glasses couldn't hide the shrewdness in his eyes.

"Yongfa Textile, fully acquired. Land, factory buildings, equipment, and inventory included—a flat price of 17 million!"

Lu Chen, who was sitting on the sofa having tea with Zeng Jianqiao, raised an eyebrow upon hearing this and put down his teacup: "Seventeen million? Lao Cheng, did you point a gun at the boss's head when you signed the papers? I remember Yongfa's valuation was at least twenty-five million."

"Hey, that's life!" Cheng Yiyan plopped down opposite him, gulped down a mouthful of water, and slapped his thigh excitedly. "Speaking of which, that company was really unlucky. Yongfa Textile originally had a good foundation. Although the garment market has been very competitive these past two years, it could still survive for a few more years thanks to its export orders. But what happened? Of all the bad luck, that old guy's company had a partnership with Hengfeng Bank, and the last bit of working capital the company had prepared to pay salaries and buy raw materials—a full eight million—was all in Hengfeng Bank!"

Upon hearing this, Zeng Jianqiao spat out his tea with a "pfft": "No way? What a coincidence?"

"What a coincidence!"

Cheng Yiyan was grinning from ear to ear. "With Hengfeng's collapse, Yongfa's cash flow instantly dried up. Banks were pressing for loans, suppliers were blocking the door, and workers' wages couldn't be paid. In addition, the stock price was affected by Hengfeng's bankruptcy, and it plummeted along with the market, directly becoming a penny stock. The exchange has already issued a warning of forced delisting."

Cheng Yiyan roughly calculated for Lu Chen, "We spent five million on acquiring stocks on the market, and used the remaining twelve million to acquire all the shares of the three major shareholders. We now hold more than eighty percent of the shares! Tsk tsk tsk, this is a typical case of 'profiteering from a crisis,' or rather, 'buying at the bottom.'"

After listening, Lu Chen's lips curled into a playful smile.

What do you call this? You call this a win-win situation.

He made a fortune shorting Hang Seng Bank, which led to Hang Seng's bankruptcy; Hang Seng's bankruptcy, in turn, caused Yung Fat Textile's cash flow to break down, allowing him to complete the acquisition at a bargain price.

He won twice in this round.

"Well done." Lu Chen stood up, straightened his suit, and said, "Now that we've got it, let's not waste any more time. Prepare the car; let's go inspect our new printing press."

……

Cheng Yiyan had already prepared a car for the company. It wasn't that flashy Porsche 930, but a black Mercedes-Benz S-Class that was more appropriate for a business inspection.

The car drove out of the bustling Central Ring Road, through the Cross-Harbour Tunnel, and headed towards the Kwun Tong Industrial Area.

At that time, Kwun Tong was still the heart of Hong Kong Island's manufacturing industry. Chimneys stood tall, machines roared, and countless large trucks shuttled through the narrow streets, transporting fabrics, plastic flowers, and electronic components. This was the engine of Hong Kong Island's economic boom, and also the place where countless low-wage workers made a living.

Located in the heart of the industrial zone, Yongfa Textile Factory occupies a considerable area, with several somewhat dilapidated factory buildings enclosed by a wall. At the main gate, the paint on the four large characters "Yongfa Textile" is already somewhat faded, exuding a sense of decay and decline.

Inside the factory, the factory manager, who had already been notified, was waiting downstairs at the office building with several senior executives, looking like ants on a hot plate.

The factory manager, surnamed Huang, was in his fifties, had a receding hairline, and a worried look on his face.

These past few days, he's been so worried his hair has almost turned white. His boss ran away, the company was acquired, and he heard the new boss is a ruthless financier. He's terrified that the new boss will make a big splash and burn him, the factory manager, down with his first move.

The car door opened.

First to step down was Cheng Yiyan, dressed in designer brands and radiating confidence, followed by Zeng Jianqiao, who exuded an air of nobility. Finally, a young, aloof man with an aura that overwhelmed everyone else walked down.

Factory Director Huang's heart skipped a beat. This lineup didn't look like they were there for charity.

"Welcome! A warm welcome to the board leaders for their guidance!" Director Huang led the applause, his palms sweating profusely, his smile more like a grimace.

Lu Chen glanced around. The factory area looked quite old, with peeling paint on the walls, but the ground was very clean, and the roar of the machines hadn't stopped, indicating that basic production was still in place.

"Director Huang, right?" Lu Chen stepped forward, not shaking hands, but simply nodding. "No need for all this formalities. Lead the way to the workshop."

"Yes, yes, yes! Chairman Lu, this way please!" Factory Manager Huang quickly bowed and led the way.

The group walked through the corridor and arrived at the production workshop.

The deafening roar of the machines instantly filled our ears. Hundreds of female workers were busy at their sewing machines, shuttles flying back and forth, cotton wafting through the air.

Lu Chen walked and looked around.

"The equipment is a bit old, but it's well maintained," Cheng Yiyan whispered in Lu Chen's ear. "They're all old machines imported from Germany, and they're still in good working order."

Lu Chen nodded and casually picked up a garment from the assembly line.

It was a women's shirt with a big red flower printed on it. The style was so outdated that it looked like it had just been taken out of a TV series from twenty years ago. Although the fabric was solid, the cut had no shape whatsoever.

"Is this your flagship product?" Lu Chen frowned.

Factory Manager Huang broke out in a cold sweat and cautiously explained, "Chairman Lu, this... there's nothing we can do about it. Our factory doesn't have a dedicated design department; we just make the models based on the old ones on the market, mainly selling to Southeast Asia and Africa... Although the profit margin is thin, we succeed in volume..."

"Buying in bulk?" Lu Chen sneered, throwing the shirt back into the basket. "Making this kind of garbage is just a waste of fabric."

The surrounding executives were so frightened they didn't dare to breathe.

Lu Chen stopped and turned around, his gaze sweeping over everyone present like a knife.

"I know what you're worried about." Lu Chen's voice wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear in the noisy workshop, carrying an imposing aura. "You're afraid of layoffs, afraid of pay cuts, afraid I'll demolish the factory and sell the land."

Factory Director Huang lowered his head, not daring to reply.

"Don't worry," Lu Chen patted the dust off his hands, "I'm not here today to take away your jobs. On the contrary, I'm here to give you all jobs."

Upon hearing this, everyone present visibly breathed a sigh of relief.

"Everyone here is a long-time employee, with a deep affection for the factory and extensive experience," Lu Chen said loudly, looking around the room. "Therefore, I have decided not to make any personnel adjustments for the time being, nor will I dismiss any frontline employee without cause."

Upon hearing this, the tense atmosphere around them instantly relaxed considerably, and many workers secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

"but."

Lu Chen changed the subject and held up three fingers.

"I'm giving you a three-month observation period. During these three months, your wages and benefits will continue as usual. But I require the factory's execution to keep up with my pace. I'm going to modify the production line and launch a new brand. Anyone who can't keep up, or who lets me down or betrays me at this crucial juncture..."

Lu Chen glanced at Cheng Yiyan.

Cheng Yiyan understood immediately, pushed up his glasses, revealing a set of white teeth, and smiled sinisterly: "Then it won't be as simple as just being fired. I'll let him know what an industry blacklist is."

"Did you understand?"

"Understood!" Director Huang and the executives shouted in unison, their shirts soaked with cold sweat.

They were both happy and afraid. They were happy that their jobs were temporarily safe, but they were afraid that the new boss didn't seem like someone easy to get along with.

"Very good." Lu Chen nodded in satisfaction. "Let's get back to work."

After inspecting the workshop, Lu Chen had a basic understanding of the facilities there.

The foundation is solid; all that's needed is to upgrade a few more machines, which will be more than enough to produce the first batch of "Garreau" garments. As for the design and patterns, those are all in his head. All he needs are executors.

"Let's go take a look at the office area." Lu Chen waved his hand.

The group left the noisy workshop and arrived at the relatively quiet administrative office building.

This is where the clerks, accountants, and logistics staff work. Compared to the bustling activity in the workshop, the atmosphere here is much more oppressive. After all, those who work in offices are better informed and more anxious about their fate after the "acquisition."

Just as Lu Chen reached the entrance of the comprehensive office area on the second floor, a low argument, tinged with sobs, reached his ears.

"I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry! Supervisor, please don't deduct my pay, okay?"

Her voice was clear and soft, carrying a heart-wrenching anxiety.

"I couldn't help it, Ah Mei," the supervisor said, holding the attendance sheet with a helpless expression. "You know, the new boss is coming to inspect today! The whole factory is on high alert, and you just had to be late! Even though you were only a minute late, rules are rules. According to factory regulations, being late will result in a 50-dollar deduction from your full attendance bonus."

"But supervisor... my grandma suddenly fainted this morning. I took her to the hospital, and the queue for registration took a long time... I ran all the way here without even having breakfast... Please, supervisor, I'm always on time and never leave early, and I'm always the most hardworking person. Could... could you let it go this time?"

Feeling that the voice sounded somewhat familiar, Lu Chen suddenly stopped in his tracks.

He looked in the direction of the sound and saw a young girl wearing an inexpensive floral dress and carrying a faded canvas bag bowing repeatedly to a middle-aged, overweight manager next to the time clock at the entrance of the office area.

The girl had long, jet-black hair, which she casually tied into a ponytail. She kept her head down, so her face was not visible, but her slender figure, which looked as if a gust of wind could blow her away, exuded a heartbreaking stubbornness.

The girl's name is Ruan Mei, the "Frugal Girl" (Little Jew) in "The Greed of Man" who made people feel sorry for her to the core.

That poor girl who was extremely frugal, even splitting every penny in half, was willing to give everything for her lover.

"Manager, I promise I'll arrive early next time! I'll come half an hour earlier every day from now on! Please let me off this time... I beg you..." Ruan Mei's voice was trembling. That was fifty yuan! For her, a well-known "frugal girl," it was like cutting off her own flesh.

The supervisor sighed, looking at the young girl before him, feeling a pang of pity. Everyone in the group knew about Ruan Mei's family's difficulties; they always tried to help her whenever they could.

But today is different.

"Amei, normally I'd turn a blind eye," the manager said in a low voice, pointing upstairs, "but the new board members are up there today! If they see me showing favoritism, I'll lose my job! You know how it is with new brooms and opens; who dares to cross them now?"

"So this fifty yuan has to be deducted. I can't do anything about it..."

"I..." Ruan Mei bit her lip, and tears finally fell.

That's fifty yuan! How many eggs could you buy with that? How many discounted vegetables could you buy?

"No buts, just sign it." The supervisor handed over the fine slip.

Ruan Mei took the pen with trembling hands, looking at the form with a heart full of pain. She sniffed, reluctantly signed her name, and mentally prepared herself to eat nothing but boiled noodles for the next two weeks.

Just as she was about to turn around and leave to secretly cry in the bathroom.

A deep, resonant male voice came from behind. The voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable power, instantly silencing the noisy corridor.

"What happened?"