Chapter 884
Hong Kong, a Hub of Giants
Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, more than ten days have passed.
As February 16th drew closer, all Hong Kong residents noticed an increasing number of important figures arriving in Hong Kong.
Even the newsboys on the streets were more excited when they were selling newspapers: "Look, look! The Queen has arrived in Hong Kong! She's checking into Government House today!"
"Wall Street's investment guru Warren Buffett appeared at the Peninsula Hotel yesterday!"
"Hong Kong's wealthiest people are all out in force, the countdown to the wedding of the century has begun!"
The air seemed to be filled with the excitement and anticipation of an upcoming grand festival.
Kai Tak Airport became exceptionally busy, with private jets and charter planes taking off and landing almost non-stop.
Every day, reporters with long lenses and microphones gather outside top hotels such as the Peninsula, Mandarin Oriental, and Hilton, trying to capture glimpses of rare international celebrities.
The Hong Kong elite circle is rife with undercurrents.
This wedding, which brought together all of Hong Kong's top tycoons, was itself an unprecedented super social event.
Parties who might normally have business rivalries or family feuds are now forced to temporarily put aside their differences and prepare to attend this grand event together.
Privately, seating arrangements, the value of gifts, and how to strike up a conversation with the Queen or international tycoons have all become hot topics of discussion and competition.
"Brother Haoran, you've worked so hard!" Shi Xun said to Guo Xiaohan as she helped Lin Haoran take off his suit jacket at the villa.
Today is February 14th, a very meaningful day for the West – Valentine's Day.
But for Lin Haoran and Guo Xiaohan, this day felt more like the final whistle before their wedding.
In the past few days, a large number of important figures on the list have arrived in Hong Kong.
Lin Haoran, the protagonist of the wedding, was quite busy.
He would even personally pick up some very important figures at the airport.
Even if they don't pick the other person up from the airport, they will arrange a private meeting to thank them for coming and to discuss possible cooperation between the two parties.
For example, today he personally went to Kai Tak Airport to welcome Motorola Chairman Robert Galvin, who had arrived ahead of schedule.
The two held a closed-door meeting for more than an hour in a suite at the Peninsula Hotel. In addition to catching up and thanking each other for attending the wedding, the most important thing was to discuss in depth their further cooperation in the field of mobile communications in the Asian region.
The previous cooperation between the two parties in the commercialization of mobile communications in Hong Kong was very successful and pleasant.
Motorola provided the technology and equipment, while Lin Haoran's Hong Kong Telephone was responsible for operation and promotion. The joint venture mobile phone company achieved very good results in Hong Kong in a short period of time.
Six months have passed since Hong Kong Mobile first publicly launched its commercialization in August of last year.
Over the past six months, the number of users in Hong Kong has been steadily increasing.
Although there are only a little over 10,000 users so far, the more important aspects of mobile phones are stable and long-term revenue and huge future growth potential.
A mobile phone, including the network access fee, costs as much as HK$60,000, and the monthly call charges are also quite high. Its target customers are the wealthy, high-level business people and politicians.
These 10,000+ users encompass almost all of Hong Kong's top consumer groups, bringing not only substantial profits but also a symbol of status and the nascent form of a high-end social network.
During the meeting, Galvin not only congratulated Lin Haoran on his wedding, but also expressed his hope to replicate this successful model in other emerging Asian markets, such as Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand, and even explored the possibility of entering the mainland in the future.
Lin Haoran was naturally pleased with this outcome.
He knew that mobile communications was the golden industry for the next few decades, and that deep integration with technology giants like Motorola was crucial for building his business empire.
He has even considered acquiring the joint venture, Hong Kong Mobile Company, in its entirety, but now is far from the right time.
After seeing Galvin off, Lin Haoran rushed to a private club in Central to have lunch with another VIP who had just arrived—Sam Walton, the founder of Walmart.
Unlike Galvin, Lin Haoran's relationship with Sam Walton was clearly much closer.
After all, with the help of Citibank, Lin Haoran successfully invested in Walmart and became a major shareholder.
Subsequently, Lin Haoran continued to secretly acquire Walmart shares, and now holds more than 20% of Walmart's shares.
He knew that Walmart was destined to become the largest retailer in the United States and even the world in the future, and its market value would expand to an unimaginable astronomical figure.
This 20% stake will be one of his most solid and largest asset foundations in the North American capital market, as well as a "ammunition depot" and "credit certificate" for future capital operations.
Therefore, the meeting with Sam Walton was more like a strategic communication between two important shareholders, and the atmosphere was exceptionally harmonious.
After meeting with Sam Walton, he went to the airport in person to greet an Australian official with Governor Merrih and others.
The other party was ostensibly attending his wedding, but in reality, they were there for the Queen's sake.
Lin Haoran was well aware of this.
However, he didn't mind, and it didn't stop him from using others' names to promote his own ideas.
On the contrary, this gave him an excellent opportunity to establish initial private connections with these Commonwealth dignitaries, who would normally require multiple layers of connections, as both "host" and "Her Majesty's important guest."
By the time the call was finished, it was already evening.
So, Lin Haoran is indeed very busy today.
"Xiaohan, close your eyes," Lin Haoran suddenly said with a smile.
"Brother Haoran, what's wrong?" Although Guo Xiaohan was a little puzzled, she obediently closed her eyes.
Lin Haoran took out a small gift box from his pocket, opened it, and inside was a pair of delicate and petite diamond stud earrings, designed in the shape of budding flowers. They were neither too extravagant and would affect his future wedding dress and jewelry, yet they were still unique and thoughtful enough.
"Alright, you can open your eyes now." Lin Haoran's voice was filled with laughter.
Guo Xiaohan opened her eyes and saw the velvet gift box in Lin Haoran's hands and the sparkling diamonds inside. Her eyes lit up instantly.
She covered her mouth and exclaimed softly, "Wow! So beautiful!"
"Happy Valentine's Day, Xiaohan." Lin Haoran handed her the gift box. "Although we will officially become husband and wife the day after tomorrow, we can't forget the proper ceremony."
I hope you like these earrings.
Guo Xiaohan picked up the earring and examined it carefully under the light. The diamond refracted a delicate and sparkling light under the light, and the flower bud shape was exquisite and cute, which was exactly the style she liked.
A surge of sweetness and emotion welled up inside her, and her eyes slightly moistened: "Brother Haoran, thank you! I... I like it so much!"
She thought that her brother Haoran was so busy these days that he wouldn't have time to think about Valentine's Day gifts, but she didn't expect that he not only remembered but also prepared such a thoughtful gift.
This care and thoughtfulness touched her more than any expensive thing.
"I'm glad you like it."
Lin Haoran gently pulled her into his arms, feeling her soft body and his slightly quickened heartbeat. "I've neglected you these past few days. Once we're done with this busy period, we'll have a proper honeymoon."
"Mmm!" Guo Xiaohan nodded vigorously, burying her face in his chest, greedily inhaling his reassuring scent.
She knew his world was vast and he had many important things to deal with, but she always held a place in his heart, and that was enough.
The two embraced quietly for a moment, enjoying this rare moment of tenderness.
The romantic atmosphere was broken only when Lin Haoran's stomach rumbled loudly.
Guo Xiaohan burst into laughter through her tears, stepped out of his embrace, and scolded him playfully, "Look at you, you're so busy you don't even have time to eat properly, right? Go wash your hands, the food is getting cold, I'll ask the kitchen to reheat it."
Dinner was another light and nutritious meal, and Lin Haoran, who was indeed hungry, ate with great relish.
Guo Xiaohan watched from the side, constantly putting food on his plate, her eyes full of tenderness.
After dinner, Lin Haoran didn't go to the study immediately. Instead, he stayed in the living room with Guo Xiaohan for a while, watching TV and chatting about everyday things.
In the early stages of her pregnancy, Guo Xiaohan radiated maternal love. Although she occasionally experienced physical discomfort, her spirits were exceptionally high due to her upcoming wedding and the little life growing inside her.
She talked about the dress she would wear for the rehearsal the next day, her anticipation for the formal wedding the day after, and her guesses about the gender of her future baby, her words filled with beautiful imaginations about the future.
Lin Haoran listened patiently, occasionally interjecting with a gentle look in his eyes.
Such moments were a rare respite for him, a chance to temporarily forget the outside world's troubles and the burdens on his shoulders, immersing himself in the simple warmth of family. At nine o'clock in the evening, Lin Haoran escorted Guo Xiaohan back to her bedroom to sleep, tucked her in, and then went to his study.
After closing the study door, Lin Haoran then called Cui Zilong.
The call was answered instantly.
"Mr. Cui, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting," Lin Haoran said with a smile.
"Boss, I'll fax you tomorrow's documents right now!" Cui Zilong said in a deep voice on the other end of the phone.
Clearly, the other party had been waiting for his call.
"Okay, you've had a long day too. Send it over and go home to sleep early!" Lin Haoran said gently.
As the person in charge of intelligence and security, Cui Zilong has been extremely busy lately.
Soon, the fax machine started printing, and a document slowly emerged.
Lin Haoran picked it up; it was a concise encrypted report summarizing tomorrow's arrangements and the arrival of some important figures.
This includes information on which situations require his personal attention or special meetings, as well as the latest security risk assessments and financial market monitoring summaries.
The report clearly outlines several key points:
1. Guests who require Lin Haoran to personally greet/meet:
Queen Elizabeth II and the Prince of Wales (it has been confirmed that the meeting will be arranged by the Government House; Lin Haoran and Guo Xiaohan will have a brief meeting with them at the Government House at 9:00 AM.)
Former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger will attend in a private capacity and is expected to arrive at Kai Tak Airport at 11:00 a.m. Lin Haoran will personally pick him up and arrange a brief private lunch, as he has a huge influence on Sino-US relations and the international landscape.
Saudi Arabia's Oil Minister and OPEC key figure, Yamani, will represent the Saudi royal family at the event and is expected to arrive at 1 p.m. Lin Haoran will be required to personally greet him and arrange a brief post-meeting meeting to discuss potential energy investments and cooperation.
At 3 p.m., George Soros, chairman of the Quantum Foundation, requested a meeting, but whether or not he would grant it was yet to be determined.
At 4:30 p.m., the Sultan of Selangor, Malaysia, arrived. Lin Haoran was required to personally greet him and arrange a brief meeting afterward, which would cover investment and cooperation in multiple areas.
……
Although it's just an A4 sheet of paper, the arrangements on it are almost completely full, down to the minute.
From nine in the morning until nine in the evening, Lin Haoran had almost no time to catch his breath.
This was not just a wedding, but a high-intensity, high-level diplomatic and business marathon.
But there's nothing we can do about it; he's the star of this wedding!
Lin Haoran's gaze lingered for a moment on the line: "At 3 PM, George Soros, Chairman of the Quantum Foundation, has requested a meeting; whether or not to grant the meeting is pending."
Soros, as expected, couldn't resist and took the initiative to request a meeting.
He actually knew that the other party had arrived yesterday.
However, because he was not familiar with the other party, he did not personally greet them.
Moreover, with so many big names arriving in Hong Kong these days, Soros is actually not considered one of the top figures among them.
Therefore, he never took the initiative to contact this financial tycoon known as the "arsonist of the Asian financial crisis".
Now that the other party has taken the initiative to request a meeting, their intentions are unclear.
Is he observing Lin Haoran, observing Hong Kong, or does he have other plans?
Lin Haoran pondered for a moment, and then he had a plan in mind.
I definitely need to see him.
Although he disliked getting too involved with such extreme investors, since they had taken the initiative to come to him and already had a certain reputation in the international financial market, turning them away completely would not only seem petty, but also risk missing the opportunity to understand their intentions and future moves.
Moreover, since the visitor is a guest, it would be impolite to refuse to see them if they requested an audience.
With that thought in mind, Lin Haoran stopped worrying about the other party's purpose.
You'll know when you meet them.
It was obvious that the other party had come specifically for him this time.
Although he couldn't understand why this Wall Street fund manager wanted to see him, he knew that he would find out some clues after meeting him.
After finishing his schedule, he carefully read through the intelligence report.
The intelligence department of Oriental Media Group has now gained considerable infiltration into every aspect of Hong Kong and the surrounding areas.
The report indicates that, in addition to normal security measures, several clandestine forces have been active in Hong Kong recently.
One group consists of representatives from established British conglomerates. Under the guise of congratulating the Queen on attending the wedding, they frequently contacted real estate and financial figures in Hong Kong, seemingly assessing the asset value amid the uncertain future of Hong Kong's ownership.
Another group comes from North America and has close ties with several hedge funds and investment banks on Wall Street. In addition to Soros, some low-profile "vulture fund" managers have also quietly arrived.
Their goal seems to be more inclined to find short-term arbitrage opportunities or to assess the "depth" and "vulnerability" of Hong Kong's financial markets.
Another group of wealthy individuals and politicians from Southeast Asia are also assessing Hong Kong's real estate and financial markets.
However, they seem more concerned about the operating model of Lin Haoran's "Revitalization Fund" and whether this model of joint government and private capital stabilizing the market could be replicated in their own country to deal with similar crises.
Hong Kong, which has become one of the world's three major financial centers, has always been a model for many large cities in Southeast Asia to emulate.
Apart from that, there's nothing else worth noting.
Since the establishment of the HK$200 billion revival fund, Hong Kong's real estate crisis seems to have passed safely. However, in reality, transaction volume remains very low, and housing transactions often have prices but no buyers.
After Forbes exposed the systemic risks and structural deficiencies in Hong Kong's real estate industry, Hong Kong residents have long harbored widespread doubts and a wait-and-see attitude regarding the soaring housing prices.
While the intervention of the revival fund stabilized the price system and prevented a sudden and precipitous drop, it failed to fundamentally reverse market confidence.
Those speculators and small and medium-sized real estate developers who are trapped by high prices still have tight cash flow, but the "acute massive bleeding" has turned into "chronic blood loss".
An eerie calm pervaded the market, with thin trading as everyone awaited a clear signal—either a positive breakout to the upside or an opportunity for a downward correction.
This eerie calm made it incredibly easy for Lin Haoran's revival fund to reap the rewards of some core industries.
Many small and medium-sized real estate developers with tight cash flow and related companies in distress, seeing no clear hope for a market recovery, have become quite weak-willed when faced with the conditions offered by the revival fund—which, although lower than the peak, at least allow them to leave the market with dignity or survive.
Under the guise of stabilizing the market, supporting high-quality assets, and promoting industrial integration, the Renaissance Fund has quietly completed several key acquisitions and capital injections in the past month and a half.
The target is not just those problematic, unfinished projects, but also some prime plots of land and commercial properties in good locations that are only temporarily hampered by debt and a sluggish market, and even some medium-sized enterprises with technological or channel advantages in specific niche areas.
These acquisitions and investments are often accompanied by complex debt restructuring and equity swaps.
The Renaissance Fund not only acquired assets, but also quietly penetrated or controlled many key links in the industrial chain.
His professional and low-key approach avoided large-scale market disruptions, but Lin Haoran's business empire in real estate and related fields has become more profound and solid in a silent manner.
Lin Haoran put down the report, and as he recalled the operations of the Renaissance Fund during this period, a faint smile appeared on his lips.
For some, a crisis is a catastrophe, but for others, it is a golden opportunity to plan for the future.
The move to establish the Renaissance Fund has gone even better than expected.
It not only temporarily stabilized market panic and won the favor of officials and some members of the public, but also essentially enabled him to complete a precise "counter-cyclical" expansion.
Most importantly, the Recovery Fund also had the backing of the Governor's Office, which provided policy convenience and support for many of its operations, reducing unnecessary obstacles.
This has inadvertently accelerated the integration process of Lin's Capital's core assets in Hong Kong.
Of course, Lin Haoran knew that this situation of "relying on a big tree" was not permanent.
The Governor's Office's support was largely based on the urgent need to stabilize the market and avoid economic collapse.
If market conditions change, or if the question of Hong Kong's future ownership enters a more substantive phase, this cooperative relationship may face new challenges.
He must make good use of this current "honeymoon period" to accelerate the completion of his strategic plan!
Lin Haoran put down the documents in his hand and stretched.
I checked the time and realized it was already past 10 p.m.
Time to wash up and go to bed. Tomorrow is another day of tough battles to fight.
Lin Haoran got up, locked the faxed document in the safe in his study, then turned off the light and left. (End of Chapter)