Chapter 909
Lin Haoran, the Traitor?
After hanging up the phone, Lin Haoran became even less concerned about Soros's latest propaganda campaign.
He himself already had evidence that Soros was behind it all.
That recording was enough to dismantle all of Soros's accusations.
And now, Citibank has delivered another great gift.
Two pieces of evidence, one from himself and the other from global financial giant Citibank.
No matter how Soros tries to deny it, he can't escape it.
A slight smile appeared on Lin Haoran's lips.
He walked back to the dining table and sat down again.
Guo Xiaohan looked at him and asked worriedly, "Brother Haoran, are you alright?"
Lin Haoran replied with a smile, "It's nothing, a friend called with good news."
He didn't elaborate, and Guo Xiaohan didn't ask any further questions.
The two finished their breakfast quietly.
After breakfast, Guo Xiaohan prepared to go up to the third floor.
Now that she is in her late pregnancy, she has completely put her work on hold.
The charitable foundation has a professional team in charge, and in the past year, she has mostly been learning how to manage a charitable foundation.
At present, the health of the fetus is the most important thing, so naturally everything should be done to ensure a safe pregnancy.
Lin Haoran personally helped her upstairs and instructed the maid to take good care of her before changing his clothes and preparing to go to the Kang Le Building.
I had just sat down in the Rolls-Royce when my cell phone rang again.
I glanced at the phone number; it was Huo Jianning calling.
"Jianning, I'm on my way to the Kang Le Building. Is there anything important?" Lin Haoran asked first after pressing the answer button.
"Boss, dozens of reporters have arrived at the Kang Le Building, including reporters from more than ten mainstream international media outlets stationed in Hong Kong. They have completely blocked the lobby and entrance. Security guards have set up a cordon, but they are very agitated and keep shouting that they want to see you."
"Do you think we should step aside for a while?" Huo Jianning said.
Now, Fok Kin-ning has gradually taken over the Hongkong Land Group. Although the handover is not yet complete, the appointment announcement has been released to the public.
Therefore, he is now the president of Hongkong Land Group, and he is basically in charge of the Kang Le Building.
Lin Haoran was not surprised when he heard this.
When he learned from Cui Zilong that someone wanted to drag him down, he had already guessed that this situation would occur in Hong Kong.
avoid?
Why did he avoid it?
Those journalists were nothing but pathetic pawns used by Soros.
They thought they were pursuing the truth, but in reality they were just helping Soros spread lies.
"No need," Lin Haoran said calmly. "Let them block the way, don't worry about them, I'll be there in a bit."
Huo Jianning hesitated for a moment and said, "Boss, are you sure? There are a lot of them, at least seventy or eighty, and some foreign reporters too. The scene is a bit chaotic, I'm afraid..."
Lin Haoran interrupted him directly: "Jianning, you've been with me for so long, when have you ever seen me do something I'm not sure about?"
Huo Jianning remained silent for a moment.
Indeed, from the acquisition battle of HK Electric to the battle for Hongkong Land, from the establishment of the Renaissance Fund to the precise withdrawal before the US stock market crash, the boss has taken every step steadily and never fought an unprepared battle.
He said, "Yes, boss, I understand. I'll have security prepare to ensure you can enter the building safely."
"Ah."
After hanging up the phone, Lin Haoran leaned back in his seat and looked out the window.
The car had already left the villa area on Shek Shun Road and was heading towards the Central Ring Road along the mountain road.
The car quickly entered Central, and the Connaught Building was just ahead.
From afar, Lin Haoran could see the dark crowd at the entrance of the building.
The reporters crowded together, their cameras and microphones pointed in every possible direction.
Besides them, there were also some onlookers.
The security guards joined hands to form a human wall, barely managing to keep them outside the cordon.
The driver slowed down and slowly approached the door.
The reporters spotted the familiar Rolls-Royce and immediately became agitated.
"It's Lin Haoran's car!"
"Mr. Lin has arrived!"
"Quick! Quick!"
The crowd surged forward like a tidal wave, and the security guards tried their best to resist, but they were still pushed back by the crowd.
It's clear that you can't drive in from the entrance to the underground parking garage.
So Lin Haoran simply told Li Weidong to stop the car, and the car came to a steady stop on the left side of the main entrance of the building.
Lin Haoran opened the car door and got out.
"Mr. Lin! Mr. Lin!" Reporters immediately swarmed around him, their flashes going off one after another, almost blinding him.
"Mr. Lin! What is your response to the Wall Street Journal's report?"
"Mr. Lin! Do you and Mr. Soros really have a secret collaboration?"
"Mr. Lin, is Mexico really about to experience a debt crisis?"
"The Mexican government has asked you, Mr. Lin, for a response. Have you given one?"
Questions came flooding in, and everyone wanted to be the first to know.
Lin Haoran stopped and calmly swept his gaze over the reporters.
His eyes were calm, so calm it was almost frightening.
The reporters, upon being swept away by his gaze, involuntarily fell silent.
Lin Haoran's influence in Hong Kong is still too great. Even if they wanted to interview him, they wouldn't dare to be too presumptuous in front of him.
He slowly began to speak: "Ladies and gentlemen, regarding those reports, I only have one sentence to say, and I will not say anything more."
All the cameras were pointed at him, and everyone held their breath.
Lin Haoran smiled slightly and continued, "The truth will always come out."
After saying that, he turned and walked towards the building, not giving the reporters any further opportunities to ask questions.
Security guards immediately surrounded him and escorted him into the building.
The reporters wanted to continue, but were firmly blocked by security guards.
"The truth will always come out? What does that mean?"
Is he implying something?
"Is Lin Sheng denying his cooperation with Soros?"
"That doesn't seem likely. If he wanted to deny it, he could just say he didn't work with Soros, wouldn't that be enough?"
"Is there some unspeakable reason behind this?"
Reporters were abuzz with speculation, but no one could get a definitive answer.
Lin Haoran entered the building under the escort of security guards.
Meanwhile, Huo Jianning was waiting on the first floor of the building.
Upon seeing Lin Haoran enter, Huo Jianning immediately came to greet him, and the two entered the elevator together.
"Boss, what did you just say..." Huo Jianning couldn't help but ask in the elevator.
"Let them guess," Lin Haoran said with a smile. "The longer they guess, the better the effect."
Huo Jianning nodded thoughtfully and didn't ask any further questions.
The elevator reached the 51st floor, and the doors opened.
Lin Haoran stepped out of the elevator and walked towards his office.
Liu Xiaoli was already waiting at the door.
After closing the door, Lin Haoran kissed her on the lips, and Liu Xiaoli responded with her eyes closed.
After a while, he reluctantly let the other person go.
Currently, both Guan Jiahui and Guo Xiaohan are in their late pregnancy, so sexual activity has been suspended. Liu Xiaoli, on the other hand, is currently receiving all of Lin Haoran's attention alone in Hong Kong, which Lin Haoran seems to be enjoying.
Liu Xiaoli's cheeks flushed red from his kisses, her eyes glistening with tears. She breathed softly and whispered, "Boss, let's get down to business first."
Lin Haoran smiled, reached out and gently pinched her cheek, then picked her up and sat down on the chair with her.
"Speak, what is it?"
"Mr. Bao Yugang's secretary just called and said that Mr. Bao would like to invite you to lunch at the Xiyuelai Restaurant," Liu Xiaoli reported, sitting on Lin Haoran's lap.
Lin Haoran nodded and smiled, "Tell Mr. Bao that I will arrive at noon sharp."
Liu Xiaoli stood up from his lap, straightened her slightly disheveled clothes, and picked up the phone to answer the call.
Lin Haoran leaned back in his chair, his gaze fixed on Victoria Harbour outside the window.
It remains to be seen what Quantum Fund will do next.
Lin Haoran believed that someone like Soros was definitely not limited to this particular approach.
How could a financial tycoon capable of plunging the entire Southeast Asia into crisis only have these few tricks up his sleeve?
Therefore, the other party must have another trick up their sleeve.
However, like Soros, he also began making moves in Mexico early on.
In other words, what Soros wanted to expect was exactly what he wanted to expect.
Soros's actions will most likely exacerbate Mexico's debt crisis.
A slight smile appeared on Lin Haoran's lips.
For ordinary people, this is a disaster.
For Soros, this was a feast.
For Lin Haoran, this was also a feast, except that he enjoyed it in the shadows, while Soros did so in the open.
When Soros thought he had won a great victory, he released the two pieces of evidence to prove his innocence, while quietly closing out the $1.5 billion position.
He couldn't even let Soros off easily.
If someone like this actively provokes him, and he lets Soros off easily, wouldn't anyone be able to step on him in the future?
Lin Haoran was never the kind of person to repay evil with kindness.
Having spent years navigating the business world, he had long understood one principle: mercy towards the enemy is cruelty towards oneself.
Since Soros dared to attack him, he should be prepared to face Soros's counterattack.
……
Two more days have passed in the blink of an eye.
In the past two days, news about Lin Haoran colluding with Soros to short the market and deliberately releasing information to be pessimistic about the Mexican Ministry of Finance has intensified, almost dominating the front pages of global financial media.
On July 4, Hong Kong media followed up on the story.
Apple Daily, Ming Pao, and Sing Tao Daily all published related reports on their front pages, with increasingly sensational headlines: "Lin Haoran Deeply Involved in 'Short Selling Scandal'", "The Richest Man's Secret Alliance", and "The Marriage Between Eastern Capital and Wall Street Vultures".
Radio and television stations are also discussing this matter, and the so-called "experts" they invited have differing opinions. Some strongly support Lin Haoran, while others vaguely imply that "there's no smoke without fire."
Since Hong Kong is considered Lin Haoran's territory, these media outlets dared not condemn him.
But other parts of the East are different.
On July 5, European media joined the fray.
The Financial Times published a commentary on its front page titled "Hong Kong's richest man's Mexican gamble."
Although the article used words such as "allegedly" and "suspected," it implied that the collaboration between Lin Haoran and Soros had "gone beyond the scope of normal business cooperation" and become "another hunt for emerging markets by international speculative capital."
The article states: "When a young tycoon, whose wedding was officiated by the Queen of England and who is regarded as a model of Eastern business, stands alongside Wall Street's most notorious financial vultures, we are forced to consider: Is there really only a fine line between the so-called 'builders' and 'destroyers'?"
The Economist, taking a more macro perspective, published an in-depth analysis entitled "The Vulture's Feast".
The article regards the "joint action" between Lin Haoran and Soros as a landmark event, marking a new stage in the plunder of emerging markets by international capital.
“In the past, the likes of Soros could only operate on the fringes, profiting by targeting the currencies of small countries. Now, they have actually managed to win over 'builders' like Lin Haoran, who have extensive international reputation and resources.”
The article states, "This means that emerging market countries will no longer face a single financial attack, but rather an encirclement by capital from both the East and the West. This is a war without gunfire, and the target of this war is the development achievements of these countries over the past few decades."
The article also specifically mentioned Lin Haoran's 711-Eleven convenience store business in Mexico, with a clearly sarcastic tone.
"Interestingly, Mr. Lin Haoran has opened more than 700 convenience stores in Mexico, employing thousands of people and earning considerable profits from the country every year."
On the one hand, they were secretly colluding with Soros, attempting to make huge profits by shorting the country's currency.
This behavior goes beyond mere commercial speculation; it represents a moral decay. In ancient Chinese terms, it's called betraying one's own people and being ungrateful.
This article in The Economist was reprinted by many media outlets and had a huge impact.
The German magazine Der Spiegel followed up with a more direct headline: "A gentleman in the East, a jackal in the West: Lin Haoran's two faces."
The article included two photos: one of Lin Haoran receiving the Queen's blessing at his wedding at the Peninsula Hotel, dressed in a suit and with a gentle smile;
The other photo is of Soros being interviewed on Wall Street, his eyes sharp and a cold smile playing on his lips.
The two photos are placed side by side, carrying a strong implication.
The article states: "With the Queen's blessing on one side and the vulture's invitation on the other, Mr. Lin Haoran perfectly embodies what it means to have a double life."
In public, he was a refined and elegant Eastern paragon; in private, however, he colluded with the most greedy speculators on Wall Street to plot a financial attack on Mexico.
Such a person is more terrifying than Soros, because Soros never hides his greed, while Lin Haoran uses the guise of a 'builder' to conceal his equally greedy nature.
Lin Haoran's silence led global media to believe that he had tacitly accepted these rumors.
Meanwhile, the Mexican government has repeatedly called on Lin Haoran through the media, demanding an explanation from him.
Lin Haoran's reputation was in grave danger.
After all, if it is confirmed that Lin Haoran and Soros joined forces, then from Mexico's perspective, he was committing criminal financial plunder, malicious short selling, and taking advantage of the chaos. Once these charges are confirmed, his more than 700 7-Eleven convenience stores in Mexico will face annihilation.
The Mexican government, on the other hand, is indeed getting anxious.
Normally, given their current situation, they could easily have delayed for another month.
If they can find a solution within this month, they might be able to weather the crisis.
However, Soros's propaganda war, coupled with rumors that Lin Haoran was involved, caused the crisis to erupt prematurely.
The peso plummeted like a free fall, government bond yields soared, and capital outflows were occurring at an alarming rate.
The Mexican government, which could have held out for a month, can't even last a week now.
They need a scapegoat.
Lin Haoran was the perfect scapegoat.
With sufficient fame, wealth, and "evidence"—the overwhelming media reports, the revelations from "insiders," and the blurry photos—all point to his "collaboration" with Soros.
The Mexican government doesn't want the truth.
What they want is a target to divert public anger.
Lin Haoran meets all the criteria.
On the afternoon of July 6, Mexican Finance Minister Silva held another press conference.
This time, his attitude was tougher and his words were more intense than before.
"We have ample evidence that certain international speculative capital colludes with external forces in an attempt to short-sell Mexico and reap huge profits by talking down its value."
Silva, speaking to the camera with a serious expression, said, "This behavior is a provocation against Mexican sovereignty and a betrayal of the Mexican people. We will take all necessary measures, including legal means, to safeguard national financial security."
At the same time, on behalf of the Mexican Ministry of Finance, I would like to announce that we have the capability and determination to repay all maturing debts before the due date of the national debt.
Mexico will not default. Mexico's economic fundamentals remain sound. Those who attempt to profit by shorting our country will ultimately suffer the consequences.
Silva’s speech was impassioned, but it was clear to everyone that it was just a last-ditch effort.
Foreign exchange reserves have fallen to less than $3 billion, while the principal and interest on foreign debt due soon are as high as $20 billion.
Even if the Mexican government used all of its foreign exchange reserves, it wouldn't be able to fill this hole.
The breach of contract is a foregone conclusion.
But the Mexican government needs time, it needs to buy even one more day, to find foreign aid and seek help from the international community.
Therefore, they must be tough and show a "capable and determined" attitude, even if that attitude is just bluffing.
Lin Haoran became the perfect target for them to divert attention.
After the press conference, Silva's speech quickly spread around the world.
"Mexico will not default!"
"We have the ability to repay our debts!"
"Those who shorted us will reap what they sow!"
These words were repeatedly quoted by the media, accompanied by photos of Lin Haoran and Soros, creating a strong implication that it was the two men's joint propaganda campaign that led Mexico into its current predicament.
Lin Haoran's silence made the implication even more believable. (End of Chapter)