In Hong Kong, we build a global business empire

Chapter 741 I'm not only going to steal your golden eggs, I've even come knocking on your door with my hen!
Just as the Hong Kong stock market was going crazy, dozens of kilometers away in Shenzhen, Lin Haoran was with Guo Xiaohan, following Shenzhen officials, on a bus from Buji Town back to Luohu.

The purpose of this trip to Shenzhen was not only to donate HK$100 million to the soon-to-be-established Pengcheng University for its preparatory work, but also to let Guo Xiaohan, the chairperson of the charity foundation, understand the situation in mainland China.

The donation ceremony for Pengcheng University was scheduled for 4 p.m., so after discussion, the Pengcheng government decided to take Lin Haoran and Guo Xiaohan to visit several primary schools around Pengcheng.

After all, Lin Haoran had previously promised on CCTV to the mainland that he would donate 100 schools every year in the future.

It's impossible for Guo Xiaohan to manage this charitable foundation without understanding anything.

Therefore, it is necessary to let her further understand the situation of rural schools in mainland China.

After arriving at Shekou Port at 10:00 a.m., they first went to the preparatory office of Pengcheng University in Nantou Management District to learn about the preparations for the establishment of Pengcheng University.

Afterwards, we arrived at Longhua Town nearby, and then went to Buji Town, where we visited three primary schools in just over two hours.

Thankfully, we didn't take any detours; it was all along the same route. Otherwise, visiting three schools in two hours would have been too rushed.

This is why Ma Shimin wanted the head of Hongkong Land Group in mainland China to contact Lin Haoran, but they were unable to reach him.

Nowadays, it's not as convenient to make timely contact with people in mainland China as it is in Hong Kong.

Since the mobile communications company jointly established by Hong Kong Telephone Company and Motorola officially went into commercial use, people like them who own mobile phones can basically be contacted anytime and anywhere in downtown Hong Kong.

But Shenzhen is different. Not to mention mobile phones, even landlines are scarce. Only some government agencies, large state-owned enterprises, or high-end hotels have them.

Even though Ma Shimin was extremely anxious in Hong Kong, he was still unable to convey the earth-shattering changes in the Hong Kong stock market to Lin Haoran in a timely manner.

The lag in information seems to have created an invisible chasm between two worlds.

Of course, another reason is that Lin Haoran himself has full confidence in Hong Kong.

In his view, he not only possessed a huge personal cash flow, but also the power to mobilize funds from three banks.

Li Jiacheng is currently facing a shortage of funds. We are in the dark while the other side is in the open. What can Li Jiacheng use to compete with him?

Therefore, Lin Haoran did not make any phone calls to Hong Kong throughout the morning, and instead trusted his subordinates completely.

He has already made all the necessary arrangements, so there is no need to worry too much.

Moreover, with Ma Shimin around, he felt very reassured.

Therefore, after arriving in Shenzhen in the morning, he followed the city's leaders on their inspection of the schools with complete peace of mind.

The situation of these three schools is actually similar to that of the rural primary school that Lin Haoran attended next to the industrial park at the foot of Bijia Mountain in Luohu.

When Guo Xiaohan arrived at the first school, she was filled with shock.

The dilapidated brick house was covered with shocking cracks in its walls, like a crumpled and unfolded old piece of paper, ready to tear open even wider at any moment.

In some places, the bricks have loosened and fallen off, revealing the rotten wooden beams and loose soil inside, a sight that is terrifying to behold.

The windows were dilapidated, held together crookedly by wooden planks, and there was a broken table and a rickety bench.

Such an environment would be considered a dangerous building in later generations.

Yet it is still in use today.

Unfortunately, economic conditions were indeed difficult in those days, and educational resources were extremely scarce.

Having a place to attend classes is already a great achievement.

Guo Xiaohan looked at everything before her, her delicate brows furrowed, her clear eyes filled with shock and unbearable sorrow.

She grew up in Southeast Asia and was born into a wealthy family, so she had never seen such a learning environment before.

This was far worse than she had imagined.

Although I knew that conditions in the mainland were harsh, the impact of seeing it with my own eyes was far greater than what I had only heard about.

She held Lin Haoran's hand tightly, her fingertips slightly cold.

Lin Haoran sensed her emotions, gently patted the back of her hand, and whispered, "That's why we're here. Change always has to start."

The accompanying Pengcheng official also looked somewhat heavy-hearted and embarrassed, explaining, "Mr. Lin, Ms. Guo, I'm truly sorry to have you witness this situation. The city's finances are indeed tight, and education funding is extremely limited. Many rural schools are barely managing to stay afloat."

We are already trying our best to improve, but it will take time…

“I understand, no need to explain too much,” Lin Haoran said with a slight smile, indicating that the official did not need to continue.

Because there is no need for this.

The two schools we visited next, even if they were slightly better, weren't much better.

Seeing the situation at these schools, Guo Xiaohan fully understood why Lin Haoran wanted to do charity work in mainland China.

At this moment, she was no longer just an executor, but truly recognized the significance of this cause from the bottom of her heart.

This is the significance of Lin Haoran taking her to inspect these schools.

Otherwise, even if she were to serve as the chairperson of the Lin Haoran Charity Foundation, she might still lack the most fundamental empathy and understanding of philanthropy.

It was already 12:30 when we got back to downtown Luohu.

It's the same restaurant as before.

However, as soon as he returned here, the person in charge of the Landmark Group in Shenzhen rushed over.

"Boss, Mr. Ma asked me to contact you urgently so that you can reach out to the other party as soon as possible. He has something to report to you," the Pengcheng representative of Zhidi Group said anxiously.

Ma Shimin called him early on, telling him to find the boss as soon as possible.

But the boss went to inspect schools in the mountainous areas of Shenzhen, so how could he find them?
He breathed a sigh of relief when he finally saw his boss.

Upon hearing this, Lin Haoran raised his eyebrows almost imperceptibly.

It was highly unusual for Ma Shimin to be so eager to find him, even going so far as to involve the head of his mainland company.

Did something unexpected happen in the stock market this morning?

But he remained calm, nodded to the person in charge, and said in a steady tone, "Okay, I understand. Thank you for your hard work."

He then turned to the accompanying Pengcheng officials and said apologetically, "Director Wang, I'm sorry, there are some urgent matters at the company that I need to deal with immediately, so I'm afraid we can't have lunch together. You can go ahead and eat, there's no need to wait for us."

The officials were somewhat surprised, but they also expressed their understanding: "Mr. Lin is very busy, we understand. Please go ahead with your work, we'll see you at the ceremony this afternoon."

"Okay, thank you for your help." Lin Haoran nodded with a smile.

After making the arrangements, Lin Haoran said to the mainland manager, "Take me to the nearest place where I can make international calls." He knew that the hotel's phone number might not be secure or direct enough.

"Boss, please follow me. The office has a direct line to Hong Kong." The person in charge quickly led the way.

Lin Haoran nodded. He knew that the Landmark Group's office was just a few hundred meters away, so it was very convenient to get there.

A few minutes later, Lin Haoran and Guo Xiaohan arrived at the temporary office of the Landmark Group in Luohu.

This is a 7-story building. When we arrived at an office on the third floor, we saw that although the decoration inside was simple, there was a black dedicated telephone.

The person in charge tactfully withdrew and closed the door behind him, while Guo Xiaohan tactfully sat on a chair outside the door and did not follow him in.

Without further hesitation, Lin Haoran quickly dialed the encrypted line that led directly to Ma Shimin's office.

The call was answered almost instantly, as if Ma Shimin had been standing by the phone the whole time.

"Boss, good news! We have become the largest shareholder of Hutchison Whampoa, currently holding a total of 46.9% of Hutchison Whampoa and 30.3% of Cheung Kong Holdings..." Over the phone, Ma Shimin reported in detail on the morning's achievements.

"A feint to the east while attacking in the west, well done!" Lin Haoran laughed heartily.

Ma Shimin and Dai Shi did not disappoint him.

Although one of the directors, Mr. Wang, unexpectedly failed to acquire the other party's 3% stake, he now holds a full 46.9% of Hutchison Whampoa's shares. Even if Li Ka-shing were to add Mr. Wang's shares, the total would only be 43%.

46.9% and 43%, while not a complete crushing victory, still represent a lead.

In a listed company, it is rare for two shareholders to hold more than 40% of the shares, even in the entire Hong Kong market.

Not to mention behemoths like Hutchison Whampoa.

"In addition, we are preparing to send an announcement letter to the Securities and Futures Commission this afternoon. By 3 p.m. at the latest, the market will know that we have become the largest shareholder of Hutchison Whampoa." Ma Shimin continued to report, his tone carrying a hint of excitement at a victory.

However, at that moment, footsteps suddenly came from Ma Shimin's side.

Immediately afterwards, Lin Haoran heard someone reporting something to Ma Shimin.

He could faintly hear the words "suspension of trading".

Soon, Ma Shimin's voice rang out again: "Boss, breaking news, Hutchison Whampoa and Cheung Kong Holdings have each submitted applications to the stock exchange to suspend trading until Friday. The reason given is that the share prices and trading volumes of the two companies have experienced abnormal fluctuations without a reasonable explanation, and therefore they are voluntarily suspending trading to maintain market order."

Therefore, it seems unlikely that they could guess our current shareholding size. This all happened so suddenly; they only roughly learned of our attack on Hutchison Whampoa around 11:00 AM. Thus, I boldly speculate that due to the immense time pressure, they had to use the trading halt to prevent us from acquiring further shares in the two companies, thereby giving them ample time to respond.

Today is Thursday, September 17th.

The other party applied for a trading suspension until Friday. Although it was only a day and a half, including the weekend, it gave them three and a half days to think about how to deal with Lin Haoran's challenge.

"Hmm, that's a very reasonable analysis. It's a pity we already acquired enough shares this morning, haha!" Lin Haoran was in a good mood.

Hutchison Whampoa, this company's reputation is in no way inferior to that of Hongkong Land Group.

Previously, he had never considered this company; if anyone was to blame, it was Li Ka-shing for provoking him.

"Yes, I wonder what Li Jiacheng's reaction will be after he finds out about this. Suspending trading can no longer stop us," Ma Shimin sighed.

Lin Haoran's investment in Hutchison Whampoa was far too far-reaching.

From the initial battle with Huafeng Bank, taking advantage of the fact that Hutchison Whampoa and Cheung Kong Holdings' stock prices were dragged down by Huafeng Bank, they took the opportunity to accumulate a large number of shares.

Later, the two sides became enemies. Every step they took, seemingly aimed at different goals, was actually laying the groundwork for resources and momentum for the final plan.

Li Jiacheng's provocation gave Mr. Lin a perfect reason to strike, and he capitalized on the situation to deliver a decisive blow.

Ma Shimin's tone on the other end of the phone was full of admiration.

As the one who carried out the plan, the more deeply he participated, the more he could appreciate the ingenuity and shrewdness of Lin Haoran's strategy.

Upon hearing this, Lin Haoran simply smiled and said, "The business world is like a battlefield. Opportunities are always reserved for those who are prepared. We have prepared enough 'ammunition' and have waited for the most suitable 'opportunity'."

Li Sheng was indeed somewhat careless this time.

He paused, then continued, "Since they have applied for a trading suspension, we will follow the rules and issue the announcement as scheduled, so that everyone knows that the largest shareholder of Hutchison Whampoa has changed hands."

Furthermore, we must closely monitor Li Sheng's movements. During the trading suspension, he will certainly not sit idly by; he will definitely try to retaliate or negotiate.

"Boss, although we hold more Hutchison Whampoa shares than them, a full 46.9%, they also hold as much as 40% of the shares, and another 3% of the shares are on their side."

Therefore, even if we can enter the Hutchison Whampoa board of directors, we will only have a few more seats than them. Based on our current shareholding ratio, we may not be able to remove them from the position of chairman of the board.

Moreover, once the market recovers and shareholders learn about our battle for control with Li Jiacheng, it will undoubtedly drive the stock prices of both companies to an absurd level, which will be very detrimental to our subsequent share purchases.

"Furthermore, if the other party continues to hold so many shares, we will not be able to completely control Hutchison Whampoa," Ma Shimin said worriedly.

“Your concerns are very valid, Mr. Ma. Mr. Li is indeed a tough nut to crack. He will never easily give up control of Hutchison Whampoa. His application for a trading halt to buy time is definitely a prelude to a counterattack.” Lin Haoran’s voice remained calm and composed, without the slightest hint of panic.

"However, don't forget that the other party is not in a good situation now. The downturn in Hong Kong's real estate industry has caused the other party's debt to continue to increase. Therefore, it is difficult for him to withdraw more funds from either Hutchison Whampoa or Cheung Kong Holdings."

Moreover, it is now almost impossible for him to borrow money from other international investment banks. He can only rely on Standard Chartered Bank. However, Standard Chartered Bank is also in a bad situation. After learning that our Hutchison Whampoa shares have surpassed Li Ka-shing's, they will definitely make Li Ka-shing strategically abandon Hutchison Whampoa and do everything possible to protect Cheung Kong Holdings.

Standard Chartered Bank is not a philanthropist; their primary task is to ensure the safety of their own funds. Li Ka-shing is under immense pressure from both Cheung Kong Holdings and Hutchison Whampoa. Now that we have the upper hand in Hutchison Whampoa, Standard Chartered's risk assessment department will not stand idly by and watch him invest his precious funds in a control battle with little chance of success.

They will only pressure him to cut his losses and save his life. Lin Haoran's voice was very calm, as if he were stating a given fact.

Ma Shimin on the other end of the phone suddenly realized, and his tone became excited: "Boss, do you mean that Standard Chartered Bank will actually become our 'assistant'?"

“That’s one way to put it.” Lin Haoran smiled slightly. “Li Jiacheng is currently facing difficulties both internally and externally. Internally, he has huge debts and cash flow pressure, while externally, he is being pressured by us and financial institutions.”

He seemed to have three and a half days, but in reality, his choices were limited, and every path was fraught with difficulties.

He paused for a moment, then continued, "Therefore, we need to adjust our strategy slightly. We not only need to issue the announcement, but we also need to issue it in a more skillful way. In addition to announcing that we have become the largest shareholder, we also need to emphasize that we are optimistic about Hutchison Whampoa's high-quality assets and development potential in the long term."

We solemnly declare that we have no intention of participating in the potentially overly aggressive debt restructuring plan currently being led by Mr. Li Jiacheng, and express our concern about the short-sighted actions that the current management may take in response to the Huifeng Bank crisis.

In addition, we will also announce that we hold more than 30% of Cheung Kong Holdings. We don't need to say it directly, but we need to let the other party feel that our target is not only Hutchison Whampoa, but also Cheung Kong Holdings.

For example, you try to contact other shareholders of Cheung Kong Holdings and express your desire to buy their shares. Of course, my purpose is not to actually buy them, but just to make Li Ka-shing believe that we really want to buy them.

Under this dual pressure, I believe Li Jiacheng will think things through carefully. When the time comes, will he choose to resist us to the end, or abandon one side to save the other? I believe he will know how to choose!

This explains why Lin Haoran, despite having no interest in Cheung Kong Holdings, still allowed Galaxy Securities to secretly acquire Cheung Kong Holdings shares.

For Li Ka-shing, Cheung Kong Holdings can be considered his foundation.

"Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!" Ma Shimin exclaimed excitedly over the phone, his voice rising slightly with emotion. "Boss, your two-pronged approach has hit Li Jiacheng right where it hurts! He's probably in a terrible predicament right now, besieged on all sides!"

He fully understood Lin Haoran's overall plan.

The acquisition of shares in Cheung Kong Holdings was not intended to seize control of Cheung Kong Holdings, but rather to create an overwhelming sense of pressure, instilling in Li Ka-shing a fear that his foundation would be shaken.

On one hand, Hutchison Whampoa's control is in jeopardy; on the other hand, Cheung Kong Holdings, where it started, may also be under threat; and then there's the pressure from Standard Chartered Bank...

This all-encompassing pressure is enough to throw any opponent into disarray.

“In that case, Li Jiacheng probably won’t last even three days!” Ma Shimin excitedly judged. “He will have to make a choice, and may even take the initiative to come to negotiate. Otherwise, he will definitely not be able to stand it if even his foundation is invaded by you, boss.”

The significance of Cheung Kong Holdings to Li Ka-shing is self-evident.

That was his flagship and symbol, built from scratch, carrying all his reputation and foundation.

Hutchison Whampoa, though a good company, was ultimately a "golden egg" acquired later, while Cheung Kong Holdings was the "mother hen" that laid the golden eggs and was the lifeblood of the company.

Lin Haoran's move was tantamount to telling Li Jiacheng directly: I'm not only going to steal your golden eggs, I'm even going to grope your hen!

Will you stand guard or not?

How will you defend it?
How much capital and energy do you have left to defend?

This psychological deterrence, combined with the real financial pressure, is enough to crush any remaining wishful thinking.

“Yes, so what we need to do now is to sit back and wait, issue the announcement on time, put enough pressure on him, and then wait for him to come to us.” Lin Haoran agreed with Ma Shimin’s assessment, his tone still calm.

He could almost foresee the uproar that the precisely worded and subtly cryptic announcement would cause in Hong Kong's business and financial circles.

Panic, speculation, astonishment...

Various emotions will quickly ferment and eventually turn into enormous pressure, which will be precisely transmitted to Li Jiacheng and his think tank.

"I understand, boss. I'll get on it right away and make sure this announcement has the best effect!" Ma Shimin's voice was full of enthusiasm.

It's safe to assume that before long, another top-tier trading company in Hong Kong will be acquired by the boss.

Lin Haoran breathed a sigh of relief after hanging up the phone.

The office returned to silence, with only the faint sounds of noise from the streets of Shenzhen coming through the window.

Guo Xiaohan had been sitting quietly outside the office. Only after he finished his call did she get up and come over, handing him a glass of warm water. She said softly, "You've been talking for so long, have some water. Is everything arranged?"

"Okay, it's basically all arranged." Lin Haoran took the water glass, drank it all in one gulp, and gave her a reassuring smile. "It was just a small business game, and we've already gained the upper hand. Let's go, let's fill our stomachs first; you're the star of the afternoon."

His nonchalant tone successfully put Guo Xiaohan at ease.

She smiled sweetly and took his arm: "Okay."

In Shenzhen, they can walk together without worry, not afraid of paparazzi at all.

Because there are no paparazzi here.

But in Hong Kong, it's a different story. Their every move can be magnified and become fodder for tabloid gossip.

Although Guo Xiaohan has gradually adapted, deep down she still enjoys the relaxed and carefree life in Shenzhen where she can be undisturbed.

Although this place is not bustling, the two of them walking together did not attract as many onlookers as they would in Hong Kong.

The two men, accompanied by bodyguards and members of the Lin Haoran Charity Foundation, found a clean restaurant near the office and had a simple lunch.

During this time, Lin Haoran's thoughts would occasionally drift to Hong Kong, speculating on the possible chain reaction caused by Ma Shimin's announcement. However, on the surface, he continued to chat and laugh with Guo Xiaohan, talking about the afternoon ceremony and the schools he had seen in the morning, without bringing the tension of the shopping mall to her at all.

After lunch and a short rest, they attended the donation ceremony held in the auditorium of Pengcheng Municipal Government in the afternoon.

The atmosphere at the scene was both warm and solemn.

Red banners, vibrant bouquets, and expectant gazes from representatives from all sides formed the main theme of the ceremony.

Lin Haoran stood calmly on the stage. His speech not only affirmed the development potential of Shenzhen Special Economic Zone, but also profoundly elaborated on the cornerstone role of education for the future of the nation. His words were sincere and inspiring.

When the giant HK$100 million cheque model was raised together, thunderous applause erupted throughout the venue, and the stage was almost flooded with flashes of light.

Guo Xiaohan also perfectly fulfilled her duties as the chairperson of the charity foundation. She was elegant in demeanor and spoke appropriately. In particular, when she mentioned what she saw and heard during her visit to the rural schools that morning, the genuine care and determination in her eyes touched many people.

All of this is taking place in a bright, positive, and hopeful atmosphere.

However, beneath this peaceful atmosphere, a capital storm orchestrated by Lin Haoran had already been precisely transmitted to Hong Kong, the international financial center, via radio waves.

(End of this chapter)