Reborn in 1970, I thrived in Hong Kong.

Old Shao was stingy, not stupid. On the contrary, he was shrewd. Seeing that Li Huai-ren was already building a film set and that he no longer had any leverage to control Li Huai-ren, he immediately changed his tune and called off TVB's poaching campaign against Phoenix TV.

He was incredibly shameless; he even casually instructed the manager of Shaw Brothers Cinemas to discuss cooperation with Phoenix Cinemas and propose the establishment of Shaw Brothers-Phoenix Cinemas.

He also stipulated that the Shaw Brothers Phoenix Cinema Line be operated by the original Shaw Brothers team in exchange for being responsible for the distribution of Phoenix Film Company's films in Southeast Asia and Taiwan.

After learning the news, Li Huai-ren finally gained some insight and realized that some people would really disregard everything for profit.

Face? Heh heh, in some people's eyes, that's actually the least valuable thing!

After considering it for a while, Li Huai-ren ultimately refused to cooperate with Shao Lao-kou.

The reason is simple: although Phoenix Film Company does not currently have film distribution channels in Taiwan and overseas, it should have distributed its own films and developed its own market from the very beginning.

If the film's distribution is firmly controlled by Shao Laokou and Zou Laolai, the consequences are predictable. Phoenix Film Company will inevitably be manipulated by these two, and they can dictate the exact amount of the film's overseas box office revenue.

As for Shao Laokou taking the initiative to seek peace? There's no such easy thing! Although you started the war, you don't get to decide when it ends; I do!

On July 9, Shaw Brothers Studio suddenly underwent a major personnel change, with the managers in charge of film distribution in Japan, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia all jumping ship to Phoenix Cinema!

The following day, a total of 36 theater managers from Shaw Brothers cinemas across Southeast Asia resigned and transferred to Phoenix Cinemas, where they were responsible for acquiring land and building a six-story shopping mall.

According to the Hong Kong headquarters' plan, the first, second, third, and fourth floors are retail spaces, the fifth floor is a food court, and the sixth floor is a cinema and other entertainment venues. The mall is named Phoenix Plaza!

Phoenix Plaza is naturally the latest company registered by Li Huai-ren after he rejected the cooperation with Shao Lao-kou.

After rejecting Shaw Brothers' offer, Li Huai-ren immediately registered Phoenix Plaza and had Fan Wen-jie, the manager of Phoenix Cinema Line, poach people from Shaw Brothers Cinema Line, specifically those responsible for film distribution in Taiwan and overseas, as well as managers of Shaw Brothers Cinema Line cinemas in Southeast Asian countries.

After careful consideration, Li Huai-ren decided to allocate half of the remaining HK$100 million or so won from betting on the World Cup to build forty-two Phoenix Squares in Hong Kong and Southeast Asian countries.

Six in Hong Kong, and thirty-six in Southeast Asia!

The six Phoenix Plazas in Hong Kong naturally required Li Zhaoji's help in acquiring land and constructing them.

On the evening of July 12, after dinner, Li Huai-ren personally went to Li Zhao-ji's house to discuss the matter with him.

In the study on the second floor of a mansion in Mid-Levels, Hong Kong Island, Li Zhaoji and Li Huai'ren sat facing each other, separated by a tea table. Li Huai'ren was in charge of brewing Kung Fu tea.

Li Zhaoji accepted the tea offered by Li Huai-ren with both hands, took a small sip, put down the teacup, glanced at Li Huai-ren, nodded in satisfaction, and said:

"Hmm, Ah Ren, you look great now, and you've gotten stronger too. You're just the right size, not too fat and not too thin!"

I never expected that you would actually create Phoenix TV, and even know to use Macau as a bridge. Not bad, very good!

However, you own quite a few companies now, and you're still in school. Can you manage all of this? Will your cash flow be smooth?

Li Huai-ren felt a warmth in his heart, looked up at him, and nodded:

"Fourth Uncle, I'll have someone help manage these companies under my name for now. I'll take over personally after I graduate from university. I should be able to handle it."

In terms of funding, apart from Phoenix Film, Phoenix Television, Phoenix Film City, and the seventeen theaters of Phoenix Cinema Circuit that are still under construction and are being renovated, companies such as Phoenix Daily and Phoenix Hardware & Plastics Factory are making decent profits and are able to keep their operations afloat for the time being.

Once I've connected Phoenix Daily, Phoenix Publishing House, Phoenix News Agency, Phoenix Television, Phoenix Films, Phoenix Records, Phoenix Film City, and Phoenix Cinemas to form a closed-loop industrial chain, cash flow should no longer be a problem.

"Closed-loop industrial chain?" Li Zhaoji was stunned when he first heard this unfamiliar name.

Li Huai-ren accidentally uttered a new term, and quickly explained to Li Zhao-ji what a "closed-loop industrial chain" meant.

Upon hearing this, Li Zhaoji immediately understood and said:

"Isn't this closed-loop industrial chain you're talking about just what the Americans always talk about—monopolizing things?"

Seeing the worry in his expression, Li Huai-ren knew what he was worried about, smiled, and said:

"Fourth Uncle, are you worried about the Paramount Act in the United States?"

Don't worry, Phoenix Cinemas is only called Phoenix Cinemas in Hong Kong. Outside of Hong Kong, it's not called Phoenix Cinemas, and it registers a separate cinema chain in every European and American country. These cinema chains have no financial dealings with Phoenix Cinemas.

I've come to my fourth uncle today to seek his help in order to resolve this issue once and for all.

After a pause, seeing that Li Zhaoji visibly relaxed, Li Huai-ren continued:

"Uncle, I plan to build six shopping malls in Hong Kong for the time being. Excluding the two underground parking levels, each mall will be six stories high, with three on Hong Kong Island and three in Kowloon. Each mall will occupy an area of ​​more than 10,000 square feet."

I plan to use the first, second, third, and fourth floors of the mall as retail space, the fifth floor for food and beverage, and the sixth floor for entertainment venues such as a cinema.

Li Zhaoji's eyes lit up, and he immediately realized what was going on:

"Haha, so you're planning to build your own shopping mall overseas, and also take care of your overseas cinema business at the same time?"

This is a good idea! This is a good idea!

By the way, you already own seventeen large cinemas in Hong Kong. If you add the six cinemas on the sixth floor of shopping malls, Hong Kong should have enough cinemas, right?

After speaking, he pondered for a long while before turning to Li Huai-ren and saying:

"Ah Ren, you came to see your fourth uncle because you want him to provide you with funds to buy land, build a building, and renovate it all in one go."

To be honest, given Sun Hung Kai Properties' dividends, Uncle Si's private construction company couldn't possibly finance the construction of the six shopping malls you're building.

Li Huai-ren quickly said:

"Uncle, you don't need to advance any funds for these six shopping malls. Firstly, I'm not familiar with real estate, and secondly, I trust your judgment. I'd like you to help me acquire six commercial land plots in Hong Kong Island and Kowloon, and also build and renovate the shopping malls."

Hehe, I have the money to buy land and build houses. Last time I bought a thousand acres of land in Tseung Kwan O, which only cost me a portion of the profits I made from betting on the World Cup.

I simply transferred a portion of the funds used to build Phoenix Film City to buy land in Hong Kong and Southeast Asian countries to build shopping malls.

As for the six shopping malls in Hong Kong that I'm going to buy land to build, I can pay your construction company in one lump sum, Uncle. There's no need for your construction company to go through the bank for a loan."

Li Zhaoji was taken aback. He had only heard Li Huai-ren mention before that the money to buy that large plot of land in Tseung Kwan O was won by him from betting on the World Cup in London.

At the time, I was just happy that his assets were more than mine, but I didn't bother to ask him how much he had actually earned.

In retrospect, the money he spent on buying that large plot of land in Tseung Kwan O was probably just a fraction of the money he won from betting on the World Cup!

Li Zhaoji was not envious or jealous of Li Huai Ren, who was now much wealthier than himself. On the contrary, he was quite pleased.

He had a son in middle age, and his eldest son, Jiajie, is only seven years old now. Based on his understanding of Li Huai Ren, he knows that after he passes away, Li Huai Ren will definitely take care of his children.

Li Zhaoji smiled. He didn't ask Li Huai-ren how much money he had won from betting on the World Cup. He nodded and said:

"Alright, your fourth uncle will help you decide on the land and construction for these six shopping malls. You just need to write checks and pay the money."

As usual, Uncle Four only needs 20% of the profit!