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

The top-floor office of the Chinese Building.

Victoria Harbour outside the window was still dazzling with lights, but inside the office, a suffocating silence reigned. Only the faint hum of the air conditioner vents and the rustling of papers as Li Chengjia turned the pages of documents could be heard.

The document wasn't thick, only a few pages long, but every page felt like a heavy hammer blow, striking the heart of this future richest man.

Those were top-secret assessment reports from HSBC regarding the restructuring plan for Hutchison Whampoa, a handwritten letter of intent from William Sutherland, executive director of HSBC's credit department, and a draft plan for acquiring Hutchison Whampoa.

After a long while, Li Chengjia slowly closed the document, took off his glasses, and rubbed his slightly sore nose. When he looked up at Lu Chen again, the kind look he had given to a "junior" was completely gone, replaced by a serious gaze that was level and even tinged with apprehension.

"Lu Sheng, that's quite a tactic."

Li Chengjia took a deep breath, his tone complicated, "How did you get this? As far as I know, HSBC has always been very secretive about the restructuring of Hutchison Whampoa. Even the shipping magnate might not have been able to get such core information."

"luck."

Lu Chen uttered two words calmly, picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said, "Mr. Li, you should have heard about the 'Fortune Maru' heist a while ago, right?"

Li Chengjia nodded: "Of course, that was a major event that shocked the whole of Hong Kong. I heard that the mainland student turned the tide on the ship and saved many people."

"Mr. Sutherland was on the ship at the time."

Lu Chen put down his teacup, his eyes calm. "Back then, he had just taken over the mess that was Hutchison Whampoa was in, and he was under a lot of pressure. He originally came on a ship to relax, but he encountered robbers. I was lucky and managed to save his life. Later at the party, we talked a lot."

This is known as the "butterfly effect".

In the original historical trajectory, HSBC, not wanting to hold the loss-making burden of Hutchison Whampoa long-term, actively sought a buyer. Li Chengjia, a leading figure in the Chinese-owned real estate sector, should have been the first choice, and the two parties quickly reached an agreement, completing the acquisition. However, in this timeline, due to the recent turmoil at Hang Seng Bank, HSBC was busy calming depositors. After finally managing to appease them, Sutherland, the HSBC executive, suffered a fright on the "Fortune Maru" and needed time to recover, causing the window of opportunity for contact between the two parties to be perfectly missed.

Lu Chen not only filled this window of opportunity, but also became the only "middleman".

"Mr. Sutherland was very grateful to me, and we had a very pleasant conversation. He complained to me that Hutchison Whampoa was like a sick elephant, eating up a lot of HSBC's cash flow every day. He promised that if I could help him find a reliable buyer to take over Hutchison Whampoa, this hot potato, he would offer his utmost sincerity, so I made this proposal."

Lu Chen leaned forward slightly, like a devil tempting Faust. "Mr. Li, I know you've always wanted Cheung Kong Holdings to 'swallow an elephant.' Hutchison Whampoa, though still losing money, has docks, retail, and real estate resources that are exactly the pieces you've been dreaming of. If you agree, I can arrange for you to meet with Mr. Sutherland tomorrow."

"And in exchange..."

Lu Chen stretched out a hand and gently pressed it on the table. "I want those ten million shares of Wharf Holdings stock you have. HK$39 per share, cash transaction, no delays."

39 yuan.

The current market price is HK$36, which is already a premium acquisition.

But for Li Chengjia, compared to the hundreds of billions of dollars in business empire that the acquisition of Hutchison Whampoa could bring, this was merely a gold brick he picked up on the street, and the premium was insignificant. Exchanging a normal transaction of Wharf Holdings shares for a key to unlock a treasure trove was simply too good to pass up.

Li Chengjia fell silent. He was rapidly calculating in his mind.

Although selling his Wharf Holdings shares meant he withdrew from the highly publicized "Wharf Holdings battle" and lost the opportunity to maneuver between the shipping magnate and Jardine Matheson, Hutchison Whampoa was the true future! If successful, his position in Hong Kong's business world would be unshakeable.

This is an offer you can't refuse.

"Lu Sheng, you win."

Li Chengjia suddenly smiled, put his glasses back on, and held out his hand to Lu Chen. "39 yuan, ten million shares, deal!"

At that moment, their two hands clasped tightly together in mid-air.

This was not merely a business deal, but a transfer of resources within Hong Kong's business community. Li Chengjia obtained the key to the future, while Lu Chen held the decisive advantage in the Kowloon Wharf battle.

……

At noon on the third day, in Central, at the HSBC headquarters building.

The private banquet hall on the top floor is where HSBC entertains its most distinguished guests, and through the floor-to-ceiling windows, one can enjoy a panoramic view of Victoria Harbour.

The three people sat down at the long table, one as host and the other as guests.

"Lu! My savior, I'm so happy to see you!"

A tall, middle-aged white man with the typical demeanor of an English gentleman, Sutherland, warmly embraced Lu Chen. Although his face still bore the pallor of someone recovering from a serious illness, his spirits were clearly good.

"Mr. Sutherland, how is your recovery going?" Lu Chen smiled and patted him on the back.

"Thanks to you, and God for my safety, I've emerged from that nightmare." Sutherland released Lu Chen, turning her gaze to Li Chengjia standing to the side, her eyes filled with scrutiny and expectation. "Is this Mr. Li Chengjia, whom you so strongly recommended?"

"Yes."

Lu Chen stepped aside and introduced Mr. Li with a solemn tone, "Mr. Li is the chairman of Cheung Kong Holdings and the most visionary real estate developer in Hong Kong. I believe he is the best candidate to take over Hutchison Whampoa. He has the ability to make that sleeping elephant dance again."

"Mr. Sutherland, it's a pleasure to meet you." Li Chengjia said in fluent English, extending his hand politely.

The ensuing luncheon was exceptionally harmonious.

For Sutherland, Hutchison Whampoa, despite its vast assets, had become a bad debt on HSBC's balance sheet due to mismanagement, and needed to be divested as soon as possible to appease the board. Li Chengjia's demonstrated business acumen and substantial financial strength perfectly aligned with HSBC's needs.

For Li Chengjia, this was like a windfall. Sutherland even hinted that HSBC would provide low-interest loans if Li Chengjia was willing to take over.

For HSBC, this was also a good deal. HSBC was eager to get rid of Hutchison Whampoa, and they didn't need this giant to grow stronger in the future; they just needed someone to take over and guarantee the safety of HSBC's loans. Li Chengjia's proposal perfectly matched HSBC's needs.

Lu Chen sat in the middle, quietly cutting the steak on his plate, occasionally interjecting with a key remark to lighten the mood. He didn't ask for any benefits from the deal with Huang, because he had already gotten what he wanted.

"Mr. Li, your idea is very constructive."

After a few rounds of drinks, Philip put down his knife and fork, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and said seriously, "I will report to Mr. Simbair immediately. In principle, HSBC is willing to transfer its 9000 million ordinary shares of Hutchison Whampoa to Cheung Kong Holdings at a price of HK$7.1 per share. However, this requires final approval from the board of directors."

Li Chengjia forcefully suppressed his inner elation.

HK$7.1! That's more than half off the market price! And you only need to pay a 20% deposit, with the rest payable later! It's practically free!

"Thank you for HSBC's trust." Li Chengjia raised his glass, his hand trembling slightly. "Cheung Kong Holdings will certainly live up to your expectations."

After finishing their business, it was time for Lu Chen's "personal matters."

In Philip's presence, Li Chengjia and Lu Chen signed the transfer agreement for Wharf Holdings shares on the spot.

Ten million shares, at HK$39 per share.

"Lu Sheng, please."

Li Chengjia was in high spirits and readily signed his name on the agreement.

Lu Chen took the pen, and the nib traced a line on the paper, leaving a powerful and vigorous signature.

"It's a pleasure working with you."

"It's a pleasure working with you!"

The three raised their champagne glasses, the crisp clinking echoing through the empty banquet hall.

……

Two o'clock in the afternoon.

Downstairs at HSBC Building.

After seeing off Li Chengjia, who was beaming with joy and eager to return to gather his think tank to study the restructuring of Huang, and bidding farewell to Sutherland, who was extremely grateful to him, Lu Chen stood alone on the street.

Cheng Yiyan, who was behind him, handed him a cigar and lit it for him.

"Boss, nearly 400 million in cash... our working capital is basically empty." Cheng Yiyan looked at the Rolls-Royce driving away, his tone inevitably tinged with heartache.

To raise this money, Lu Chen not only used Jiahe International's working capital, but also diverted some of Garreau's profits. Now, on paper, Jiahe only has a little over ten million yuan left.

"Is it empty?"

Lu Chen exhaled a puff of smoke, looking at the bustling street, a wild smile curling at the corner of his mouth. "Old Cheng, let me tell you again, money in the bank is just paper. Only when you spend it and exchange it for chips does it become capital."

"Right now, I hold 16 million shares of Wharf Holdings."

Lu Chen's eyes became incredibly deep. "In this life-or-death battle between the shipping magnate and Jardine Matheson, whoever owns these shares is king. Whether the shipping magnate wants to take control or Jardine Matheson wants to retain control, they will both have to come to me for help."

"Moreover..." Lu Chen flicked his cigarette ash and turned his gaze to the eastern sky, "More importantly, through this battle, Jiahe will no longer be just a company that speculates in stocks and sells clothes. We will officially have the qualifications to cut the cake on this big table."

Cheng Yiyan understood this principle as well. He could feel the boss's overwhelming aura, so he chose to unconditionally trust the boss's judgment.

"Alright, the business is over."

Lu Chen tossed away the cigar he had just taken two puffs of. The coldness and domineering aura on his face receded like the tide in an instant, replaced by a youthful anticipation and eagerness.

"Boss, shall we go back to the company?" Cheng Yiyan asked.

"You go back by yourself first."

Lu Chen straightened his tie, took a deep breath, as if he were going to an appointment that was more important than the battle of Kowloon Wharf.

"I'm going to the flower shop to buy the biggest, freshest bouquet of red roses."

"She's coming back."