Chapter 1469
Master
Times Square, New York.
With Gadot in tow, Zhang Yuan finally drove his custom-made Toyota LFA.
The pillow was also embroidered with a dragon.
Zhang Yuan specifically requested that it have four claws.
The all-white exterior and khaki interior give it a bright and cheerful look.
Lexus has consistently used elements such as embroidery in the interiors of its high-end models to highlight a sense of luxury.
However, very few people in China actually own cars.
Of course, it is also related to the fact that we rarely have D-class or executive-class domestically produced cars.
I glanced at the dragon pattern; it was a bit tacky... but at least it was unmistakably Chinese in style.
Besides, the dragon is the symbol of emperors!
Then, the emperor of the film crew arrived.
"Hi everyone!" He opened the car door for Gadot, helped her out of the car, and waved to the vast number of fans.
His third car appeared, ahead of which was Paul's GTRR35, and at the very front was the bald man's Dodge Challenger.
Two of the three cars are from island nations, demonstrating the global influence of island nation cars.
Zhang Yuan glanced at it and thought how wonderful it would be if a Chinese brand could one day witness such a scene.
However, it was precisely because Japanese cars were popular in North America that the brake issue was deliberately blown out of proportion a couple of years ago.
Lawmakers can use this to garner votes and issue hefty fines, while domestic automakers can suppress foreign brands.
Toyota itself isn't exactly clean, but the Americans themselves haven't been much better over the years, such as the infamous Ford Pinto case.
The promotional campaign in Times Square looks quite impressive.
But in the world of capital, anything is possible, and it's far less expensive than you might imagine.
Universal Music set up a stage, and Zhang Yuan specifically requested that Xiaomi's logo be displayed on it.
Since the Xiaomi 1 has already gone on sale, consumer enthusiasm has far exceeded Jun'er's expectations.
That's three times the amount he expected to stock up.
We need to help him advertise and promote his work.
Let Jun'er use Xiaomi's appearances in Times Square and movies as promotional materials to make it seem more upscale.
In the later F1 races, the Mercedes team's cars also featured the Xiaomi logo and advertising slogans.
We need to project an image that, although Xiaomi is a new domestic brand, our starting point is international renown.
His current focus in filming is now split evenly between his acting career and supporting other endeavors.
After the publicity process was completed, he appeared on an interview talk show with Gadot, and then traveled to London, Paris, Tokyo, and Sydney with Paul and the bald guy.
What's rather strange is that when he was promoting the film in Melbourne, he happened to run into the Deyuan Society's overseas tour.
I even went to see a movie that night.
Meeting an old friend in a foreign land feels completely different from meeting one back home.
Even though I've only been away from China for a few days, I still feel a tremor in my heart.
Because the promotional schedule was very tight, with 18 or 9 hours a day spent on the road or at work, seeing my family at this time felt quite heartwarming.
The highest ticket price for Deyuan Press in Melbourne reached 229 Australian dollars, which is roughly equivalent to more than 1000 yuan.
It is truly rare for traditional performing arts to fetch such prices in overseas commercial performances.
However, the main money they make comes from overseas Chinese, since foreigners don't understand this stuff.
"I've heard that the air, water, and food here are all good, and there's little pollution."
"And there are also large farms and estates; I'm planning to buy a house here," Teacher Guo told him during a break.
Typical Chinese mindset: wanting to buy a farm as soon as they go abroad.
However, compared to the capital city, where the earth is covered in yellow dust in winter, this place is indeed picturesque.
"Do you want to come along? We can still be neighbors when we're old."
"You buy it first, and I'll see if it's good or not."
"Are you using me as an experiment?" Teacher Guo said with a smile, giving him a push.
Zhang Yuan hadn't really considered the idea of retiring overseas.
Australia is better than North America, both in terms of environment and safety, but it is still overseas and sparsely populated.
He still prefers to stay in China.
As for Teacher Guo, he remembered that in later generations, this person not only bought houses and land, but also brought his second child to study abroad.
I just don't know if the house in Australia has a room reserved for the eldest son of the Guo family.
Several of his apprentices wanted to take him to a famous local casino, which is said to have the most luxurious casino in the Southern Hemisphere.
Zhang Yuan firmly refused, saying, "I am mortal with gambling and drugs!"
Just as I finished my work, I received a call from China.
"Mr. Lei, may your business prosper!"
It was Jun'er who called him.
"The movie's already out, did you see the product placement?"
"I saw it. I've already had my colleagues in the marketing department promote it online."
"This is an important step for Xiaomi to go global and gain international influence. What you can buy now are products that consumers in other parts of the world can see but cannot buy."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Yuan gave a thumbs up, admiring the man's persuasive skills.
They clearly didn't intend to sell it abroad, but somehow it ended up becoming something that foreigners can't even buy.
"Great, how's the shipment volume?"
"It's already exceeded one million, and I'm urging the contract manufacturers and suppliers every day."
"But I didn't come to you about the phone."
"Someone has come to me and wants to see you."
Jun'er's tone, which had been excited and proud when he mentioned the phone, became slightly lower.
"Which one?"
"Mr. Li from Dingfeng Investment contacted me; we had some dealings on other projects."
Upon hearing the name Dingfeng, Zhang Yuan's eyes lit up.
It's the company that signed a performance-based agreement with South Beauty.
Jun'er has his own investment company called Shunwei Capital. He makes the decisions, while his wife, Jun'er Sao, handles the daily management.
He has connections with many big names in the financial world and has a wide social circle.
"I understand. Thank you for your help. Please give me their contact information so I can schedule a meeting with them," Zhang Yuan replied immediately.
“Okay, it’s alright…” the person hesitated for a moment, then reminded him again.
"Zhang Yuan, the prospects for the domestic catering market are not very good right now."
"This industry is inherently a red ocean, a very red market, so you need to be careful."
"Understood, thanks for the reminder." Zhang Yuan thanked him and said he would treat him to a meal.
He's lucky if someone even gives him a heads-up, because when it comes to investing, if the advice isn't given well, he might miss out on a money-making opportunity, and friends could turn into enemies in no time.
This person knows what he's doing.
It's true that Jun'er is well-informed, and it's also true that the mother and son from Qiaojiangnan spread the word everywhere.
They practically went around shouting to everyone, "We have big investors who want to invest, we have plenty of money, everyone should have confidence and come invest!"
With this hype, coupled with the recent wedding that brought the family into the public eye, and with Barbie Hsu (Da S) also cheering them on, the online buzz exploded, and news about the family was everywhere online.
Ultimately, it all comes down to the South Beauty brand.
With increased popularity, more people will go to eat there, as they'll want to try it once they hear about it, which in turn boosts the valuation.
For those looking to go public, besides financial statements, confidence is the most important thing.
Zhang Yuan didn't care about these things because he already knew that the other party had this kind of personality.
If it weren't for this kind of enthusiastic support, Dingfeng wouldn't have found out so quickly and come knocking on their door.
Upon returning to China the next day, he immediately contacted the other party.
"Mr. Li, how about we meet for dinner at South Beauty?"
He deliberately extended an invitation with great enthusiasm.
"Invite Ms. Zhang Lan along as well; she originally said she would treat me to dinner."
After listening, Mr. Li from Dingfeng vaguely expressed that he was tired of the food at South Beauty because he had been there too many times and wanted to try something different.
Zhang Yuan chuckled inwardly.
I don't want to go, I don't want to see Zhang Lan, and I don't want to be seen by Zhang Lan, so I'm pretending.
"Okay, come to my house for dinner."
"Whether you want to eat Shandong cuisine or not, I know the chef."
It was quite natural to arrange to meet this person at the large courtyard house.
"Wow, your house is pretty good."
My first meeting with this Mr. Li was with a slicked-back hairstyle and a well-dressed middle-aged man.
He came alone, without even his secretary.
After entering the house, I naturally took him on a tour.
Besides investing, Zhang Yuan bought this house to demonstrate his strength in certain situations.
This house speaks for itself, without me having to say a word.
In Beijing, in the same location, the price increase of courtyard houses is 50% higher than that of new apartments, or even double, due to their scarcity.
"How big is your house?" the older man asked after looking around.
"About 7000 square meters."
"This location is worth around 10 yuan per square meter now..." The man underestimated it for a moment, then immediately calculated the current value of the house.
He then gave him a somewhat serious look.
That's incredibly impressive!
If this house is mortgaged, it can be exchanged for hundreds of millions on the spot.
So he really has the ability to help South Beauty, and it's not just that mother and daughter bragging.
Seeing the other person's expression, Zhang Yuan was very satisfied.
The property has already spoken for me. Making the other party understand that I have the ability to invest in South Beauty, and making them think they are interested, is enough.
For dinner, we ate the same dishes we had previously served at Noon Sunshine Restaurant.
Anyone who has seen Leonardo DiCaprio's "The Wolf of Wall Street" knows that the financial world is a place where indulgence in alcohol, women, and money is rampant.
A life of extravagance and debauchery, rampant materialism.
Therefore, drinking, gambling, and prostitution are common occurrences for men and women in this industry.
Overseas markets are a hub for high-spending consumers of D-grade goods.
This Mr. Li has an excellent alcohol tolerance; he's clearly a seasoned veteran of the alcohol world.
At first, this person seemed to be intentionally trying to get him drunk, constantly urging him to drink.
They probably felt that having drunk too much made it easier to talk.
But seeing that Zhang Yuan's eyes were still bright after drinking a bottle of Moutai, he burped and voluntarily abandoned this usual approach.
We should use the "heart-to-heart" approach.
"Brother, we hit it off immediately!" The older brother grabbed his hands and patted them vigorously.
"Hearing about someone is not as good as seeing them in person, and seeing them in person is not as good as having a heart-to-heart talk."
"We need to have a heart-to-heart talk today."
"That's for sure, please tell me what's on your mind." His eyes were full of sincerity.
"Brother, I'm suffering. Don't be fooled by Dingfeng Investment's reputation and size."
"But behind them are clients and investors, none of whom I can afford to offend."
"Besides big businessmen, there are also investments from... other types of people."
He mentioned some names that couldn't be spoken, all of whom were from large families.
Zhang Yuan felt it was half true and half false; some parts might be true, but it was also meant to scare him.
"I've been working on this South Beauty business for several years, and now it's about to go public."
“I know you’re investing, brother. It’s normal to want to make money.”
"Yes, I've made some money in the entertainment industry and I want to find a hen that lays golden eggs to make money from money."
"But...brother, let me tell you the truth!" he said, feigning deep sorrow.
"It will be difficult for South Beauty to go public!"
“I’m better informed than you. The policies from above have changed, and the policies for the catering industry are about to change drastically.”
"Oh, is that so?" Zhang Yuan played the fool in a very cooperative manner.
"I know Mr. Lei, so I'm here to warn you that I'm already trapped. Don't fall into the same trap."
The man spoke with such sincerity that if Zhang Yuan didn't know the truth, he would have been moved to tears.
"That won't do. A man's word is his bond." He swayed his body and waved his hand as if he were drunk.
"Xiao Fei and I are friends. I said I would invest and give him money, so how could I go back on my word?"
"Moreover, South Beauty is doing very well. The policy may change, but who knows when it might be changed back."
"At worst, I'll treat it as a long-term investment. Even if it goes public in five, six, or seven years, as long as I can make a profit, that's fine."
"Mr. Li, my motto is simple: loyalty!"
"It is through my unwavering loyalty and righteousness that I have been able to get to where I am today."
As he spoke, he patted his chest, displaying an air of confidence that even Guan Yu wouldn't have been as imposing as him.
When Mr. Li saw that the man was not taking the bait and spoke vehemently, he realized that his scheme had failed.
So they simply changed their tune.
"As for me, I already understood the current situation of South Beauty."
"This is a problem that my family can't cover."
Even if you come, it might not work out.
"The longer it drags on, the bigger the hole will become."
"But I have a wide network of contacts and know many international investors."
"If this can help South Beauty expand into overseas markets, it will be much better."
"I've already made contact, CXC, do you know that?"
“Among this company’s clients are… these are the people I absolutely cannot afford to offend.”
He said a bunch of international celebrities and political figures came up, many of whom were from prominent North American families.
Zhang Yuan shook his head repeatedly, pretending not to know.
In fact, the head of CXC in China is from the Fudan University faction, named Xu Ziwang.
He worked at Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs, using his connections to attract international investment, focusing on the Chinese market.
It's actually still a private equity fund, just with a wider range of clients and a larger amount of capital.
At the same time, they became even more ruthless!
They've helped foreigners acquire many large domestic companies.
The routine is to absorb the debt, take over the company, and then slowly kick the founder out. They've become very adept at this.
Dingfeng has already reached an agreement with the other party and plans to join forces to set up a scheme.
Dingfeng led the other party into South Beauty, acting as their "guide".
CXC will acquire Dingfeng's shares while swallowing the company, providing a higher return.
Capitalists devour people without spitting out the bones; whether you live or die is none of their business.
If your immediate death could increase his profits by even 0.01%, capital would choose to make money without hesitation.
But now everything is ready, all that's missing is for South Beauty to fall into trouble and jump into the trap itself.
Suddenly, a clueless young man appeared and wanted to invest.
I went to check it out, and wow, they're really capable!
Once you invest money, South Beauty won't recover; it will hold on for a while longer.
Then we can't maximize the benefits at the top.
Getting 100% of the profits through a bet is nothing compared to the sheer joy of swallowing up a company with others, dismembering it at will, and feasting on the spoils.
They can even possess the body and use the company to swindle even more money.
So his purpose in coming today is to persuade them to quit.
Bro, this company is no good, don't invest.
I'm really afraid of running into a fool who insists on giving me money, ruining my plans.
"What will happen to my reputation if I don't vote?"
"How am I supposed to explain this to Aunt Zhang Lan and Xiao Fei?"
"Xiao Fei's wife and I are also friends; we are close family."
"You and his wife went through a relationship?" the older brother asked.
He probably has that connection.
Zhang Yuan: ...
"Don't get the wrong idea, we're just good friends, we've known each other for many years," he quickly explained.
slander!
I have always been an innocent person.
"That settles it then. Friends are for selling... not for making friends."
"Only interactions without self-interest are truly pure."
"Think about it, if you invest and lose money, how can you continue to be friends?"
"I don't care about money; I live my whole life for love!" Zhang Yuan replied with great passion.
"I'm begging you, brother."
"We're friends too, look at me, okay?"
"We're friends, you have to be loyal to me."
"They're all friends?"
"Of course, we're all friends!" she quickly replied, seizing the opportunity.
Zhang Yuan appeared to be deep in thought.
"I still think it's good to make long-term investments."
"But you still have to make money. Financial debt restructuring is a science, and it's not easy to do well. If you don't do it right, you can easily lose money."
"You invested hundreds of millions and lost everything. Aren't you upset?"
"That scary?"
"In the investment banking world, we live for thrills."
"That doesn't mean I won't vote just because you tell me not to." Zhang Yuan shook his head, still pretending to be drunk.
"You need to give me a reason not to vote, right?"
"Isn't paying compensation a valid reason?"
"There must be conditions for not voting, right?"
"Otherwise, if you're partnering with international private equity firms, why can't I get involved?"
"I'll let you back out, but you have to show some sincerity."
"Sincerity?"
"Yes, sincerity, the sincerity that makes me not invest."
"Now that you want me to quit, you can't just talk the talk."
After thinking about it, Mr. Li realized something was amiss.
She glanced at him again.
I feel like...
You're the real master of playing dumb. (End of Chapter)