In Hong Kong, we build a global business empire

Chapter 784 Returning to Hong Kong, Huifeng's Time Bomb
Time flies, and it's now October 22nd.

In the morning, Lin Haoran, accompanied by Liu Xiaoli, enjoyed a sumptuous and exquisite Shanghai-style breakfast in the Sassoon Presidential Suite on the top floor of the Peace Hotel.

Liu Xiaoli was already very beautiful.

Now, having received Lin Haoran's care, she appears even more alluring, with every move exuding a mature charm.

At this moment, Liu Xiaoli's skin glowed with a radiance imbued with love, and her eyes shone with an indescribable tenderness and contentment.

Lin Haoran's gaze swept across the dining table and inadvertently landed on her, his eyes unconsciously filled with admiration.

With his current status, he can't just look at any woman; if he really wanted her, there would be plenty of women lining up.

The fact that Liu Xiaoli caught his eye must mean she was special.

Outside the window, boats dot the Huangpu River, and in the distance, the Bund's collection of international buildings outlines the contours of history in the morning light. On the other side, the still relatively quiet land of Pudong awaits his development.

Important leaders from Shanghai personally came to the Peace Hotel to see him off, showing an even more enthusiastic attitude than when they welcomed him.

The convoy drove smoothly to Hongqiao Airport, where the leader had a final heart-to-heart talk with Lin Haoran in the VIP lounge, his words filled with earnest expectations for the implementation of the Pudong plan and urging the Hongqiao project to start as soon as possible.

Lin Haoran responded calmly, reiterating his optimism about the future of the Shanghai stock market and promising that his team would finalize the details as soon as possible.

Before boarding, the other party held Lin Haoran's hand tightly: "Mr. Lin, the door of Shanghai is always open to you. The future of Pudong cannot be separated from your strong support! We look forward to your return soon."

Lin Haoran nodded and smiled.

Private jets roared into the sky, leaving the bustling city of Shanghai temporarily behind.

As the plane entered a stable cruising state, Lin Haoran leaned back in the wide and comfortable leather seat. Outside the window was a continuous sea of ​​clouds, and his thoughts calmed down. He began to carefully review the fruitful results he had achieved during this more than ten-day trip to the mainland.

From the moment I checked into the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse and received the high-level treatment, every step of this trip was perfect.

From Beijing to Shanghai, he gained far more than he had imagined before going to the mainland.

Overall, he was extremely satisfied with his trip to the mainland.

The cabin was quiet, with only the steady hum of the engine in the background.

Sitting opposite Lin Haoran, Liu Xiaoli boldly flirted with him.

Now that she is Lin Haoran's woman, she can openly and proudly display her charm, with a touch of arrogance.

She was no longer as cautious as she had been at the beginning, deliberately maintaining a perfect sense of distance.

"What are your plans after returning to Hong Kong?" Lin Haoran asked Liu Xiaoli, ending his discussion of the trip.

Should I go back to dance training classes and continue learning foreign dances?

This is naturally unnecessary.

No matter what, she is now his woman.

"I...I don't know, Mr. Lin, please do as you wish!" Liu Xiaoli said after thinking for a moment, shaking her head.

She was also somewhat confused.

Although she had become Lin Haoran's woman, her way of addressing him never changed, and Lin Haoran never bothered to correct her.

Now that she's latched onto Lin Haoran, she really doesn't know what to do next.

Lin Haoran nodded slightly upon hearing this, not surprised by her answer.

He liked her perfectly balanced confusion and compliance, which made it seem natural for him to arrange her life trajectory.

He leaned forward slightly, his gaze fixed on her, carrying an undeniable air: "Now that you're with me, all your past public appearances are over. You dance well, but from now on, you can only dance for me."

These words were like a gentle prohibition, both a severing of her past and a declaration of exclusive possession.

Liu Xiaoli's heart trembled slightly, followed by a surge of complex emotions, a slight tremor of being restrained, and a secret joy of being cherished and possessed.

She met his gaze and nodded gently: "Mm."

Lin Haoran continued to plan her future, as clearly as he would a business project: "As for your daily life, you will temporarily serve as my secretary, working in the office in the Kang Le Building. I will have someone train you, and you need to get familiar with it as soon as possible."

The role of secretary is quite ingenious, as it allows one to keep her within one's sight while also assigning her tasks, ensuring she has work to do.

Most importantly, after Liu Xiaoli became his secretary, Lin Haoran was able to observe her loyalty.

Just like Keiko Yamada, as long as Liu Xiaoli is loyal, there is no need to worry that she will have any improper thoughts.

Currently, Lin Haoran doesn't have many women around him; he has only had physical intimacy with four women: Guan Jiahui, Guo Xiaohan, Liu Xiaoli, and Yamada Keiko.

In addition, there are two people who have had contact with him and were given related arrangements by him: Li Lizhen and Nakamori Akina.

However, since the two girls were still young, Lin Haoran did not do anything excessive to them. At most, he thought it was like an interesting "girl-raising story".

He didn't think it was promiscuity, after all, with his current status, wealth and position, he had already given him far more choices and power than ordinary people.

“After we get back, I’ll find you a new place to stay,” he said casually, yet with an air of luxury. “I have a villa in the Mid-Levels of Wan Chai. It’s quiet and has a good view. You can live there from now on, and I’ll occasionally stay overnight there.”

For him, dealing with a property is as easy as arranging a guest room for an ordinary person.

This arrangement not only gave her a completely new identity and job, but also defined her scope of activities and her affiliation.

Liu Xiaoli listened silently to Lin Haoran's arrangements.

She knew that from this moment on, her life would be completely tied to this man, bidding farewell to the past and stepping into a new world he had built, a world that was both luxurious and restrictive.

"I'll do whatever you say, Mr. Lin," she replied softly, her eyes sparkling with a mixture of trepidation and anticipation for the future.

During this trip to the mainland, Liu Xiaoli, who accompanied Lin Haoran throughout the entire journey, witnessed many scenes that were previously unimaginable.

From the state-level reception in Beijing to the solemnity and majesty of the state guesthouse;

From the breathtaking views of the Bund from the top floor of the Peace Hotel to the composed demeanor of someone strategizing on a private jet.

All of this made her truly realize the level of the world Lin Haoran lived in.

She witnessed firsthand how he chatted and laughed with various figures and how he casually finalized investment projects worth hundreds of millions.

The sheer power and wealth one experiences at the pinnacle of authority is far more persuasive than any words.

The initial unease stemming from the loss of autonomy gradually dissipated with the experiences I've had these past few days, replaced by a clear-headed and decisive understanding of reality.

To be one of the women of such a man is an opportunity that is difficult for ordinary people to attain. This is something that many people dream of.

Now that you've chosen this path, you should let go of unnecessary pride and seize this opportunity.

Thinking of this, the light in Liu Xiaoli's eyes grew even stronger.

After about three hours of flight, the plane finally returned to Hong Kong.

High in the air, Lin Haoran saw the familiar buildings on both sides of Victoria Harbour gradually become clear, and a sense of familiarity welled up from within.

The plane began its smooth descent, weaving through the clouds, offering breathtaking views of the Kowloon Peninsula and Hong Kong Island across the sea.

This land is where his true roots lie.

As the plane landed at Kai Tak Airport, the cabin door opened, and a cool sea breeze rushed in.

Before he set off, Hong Kong was still experiencing high temperatures.

Unexpectedly, after only ten days, Hong Kong seems to have truly entered autumn.

On the tarmac, Cui Zilong arrived with several drivers to greet them, followed by several private cars, especially the Rolls-Royce in the middle, which was particularly eye-catching.

"Boss, welcome back to Hong Kong!" Cui Zilong stepped forward quickly and said with a smile.

"Mr. Cui, thank you for your hard work." Lin Haoran nodded in satisfaction.

“It is what I should do,” Cui Zilong said respectfully.

"Well, is there anything I need to handle today?" Lin Haoran continued.

“Boss, there really is something. Mr. He has something important to discuss with you and hopes you can go see him after you return to Hong Kong. But you must be hungry, let’s go get some lunch first!” Cui Zilong shook his head and said.

Mr. He is none other than He Shanheng, the current head of Hengsheng Group.

Cui Zilong was not only the head of the Oriental Media Group, but also the head of the intelligence agency, so he knew a lot of things.

Upon hearing this, Lin Haoran nodded and said with a smile, "In that case, let's go to the Joyful Restaurant in Central first. It's been quite a while since I've had Hong Kong cuisine."

Sitting in the car, Lin Haoran looked out the window at the familiar street scene, feeling the atmosphere that was completely different from that in the mainland.

After enjoying a sumptuous lunch at the Joyful Restaurant, Lin Haoran first made arrangements for Liu Xiaoli before heading to the Kangle Building.

Upon arriving at the Kang Le Building, many employees greeted Lin Haoran with respect and enthusiasm. "Good afternoon, boss."

"Boss, it's been a long time!"

A chorus of greetings rose and fell, and Lin Haoran responded with a smile and a calm nod.

He walked straight to the private elevator, with Cui Zilong following closely behind.

The elevator doors closed, shutting out the noise from the outside world.

The 42nd floor of the Kang Le Building is the new headquarters office of Hengsheng Group.

The office, the headquarters of Hengsheng Group, was bustling with activity.

Lin Haoran went directly to the chairman's office. Through the glass window, he could see He Shanheng working at his desk with a furrowed brow, clearly troubled by something.

Lin Haoran knocked on the door and then pushed it open to enter.

He Shanheng looked up when he heard the voice, and when he saw the person who came, a look of relief immediately appeared on his face.

"Haoran, you've finally arrived! I have something important to discuss with you!" He Shanheng quickly stood up to greet him.

"Uncle He, sit down and talk. You're getting on in years, so you have to be careful. I'm still waiting for you to help me build Hengsheng Group into the world's top international firm!" Lin Haoran quickly smiled and asked him to sit down, then sat down in a chair himself.

Although the other person looks quite healthy, he is still an 81-year-old man.

Although Lin Haoran is now He Shanheng's boss, he still maintains the respect that a junior should have for an elder. This is not only because of He Shanheng's prestige in the industry, but also because this old man has indeed devoted a lot of effort to him and Hengsheng Group.

He Shanheng was amused by Lin Haoran's half-joking, half-serious remark, and the wrinkles on his face smoothed out. He obediently sat back down in the large leather chair.

"You little rascal, all you do is paint a rosy picture for this old man." He shook his head with a laugh, but a hint of satisfaction and fighting spirit shone in his eyes. "However, with you having such high expectations of me, this old man will do everything in his power to hold on for a few more years."

Joking aside, He Shanheng quickly regained his serious expression and pushed a document on the table toward Lin Haoran: "Let's get down to business. This matter is indeed a bit tricky, otherwise I wouldn't have been in such a hurry to get you here as soon as you returned."

Lin Haoran took the document and quickly browsed through it.

This concerns the right to issue currency, which is indeed a tricky matter!

While Lin Haoran was browsing the documents, He Shanheng said from the side, "Because the issue of the right to issue banknotes has not been finalized, two days ago I specifically had someone send a letter to Standard Chartered Bank, asking them to assist us in finalizing this matter as soon as possible."

We're not worried about them not implementing it, since if they don't get this currency issuance right sorted out for us, they'll have to compensate us with HK$30 billion.

However, this morning we received a reply from Standard Chartered Bank, the one you have here. This matter is too important for me to decide; it's more appropriate for you, the boss, to make the decision.”

Lin Haoran nodded and put the document down.

The document was not very long. It mainly stated that Standard Chartered Bank had done its best, but because Bank of East Asia and Hang Seng Bank had already been privatized, the Governor's Office was holding back the approval.

According to Hong Kong's "Basic Principles of Financial Regulation," privatized banks controlled by a single shareholder, due to their overly concentrated shareholding structure and lack of sufficient publicness and transparency, should in principle not be granted the core financial power of issuing banknotes, which involves monetary stability and public credit.

So they had no choice, but in order to keep their promise and allow us to obtain the right to issue banknotes in Hong Kong, they decided to sacrifice their own interests and were willing to negotiate with Hengsheng Group to sell their 51% stake in Huifeng Bank to Hengsheng Group at a reasonable price.

Once Hengsheng Group holds 51% of Huifeng Bank's shares, it will be equivalent to controlling Huifeng Bank, and naturally, it will also control Huifeng Bank's right to issue banknotes in Hong Kong.

The contents of the document are roughly as described above.

"Haoran, judging from their reply, on the surface they seem to have made a huge sacrifice and willingly handed over Huifeng Bank to us."

Today's Huafeng Bank is nothing like what it used to be. It has not only lost many British-owned conglomerate clients, but also lost two major clients, Hutchison Whampoa and Cheung Kong Holdings, resulting in a continuous decline in its market share in Hong Kong's financial industry.

Moreover, the recently acquired Haifeng Bank is also in a loss-making state.

However, from another perspective, Huafeng Bank is no ordinary bank in Hong Kong. It has the right to issue banknotes and has a history of over a hundred years. Its name is almost inextricably linked to the development of Hong Kong, and its brand value and customer base are still considerable.

"If the selling price is reasonable, we might be able to buy it. Take Haifeng Bank, for example. It seems to be losing money now, but it is still the thirteenth largest bank in the United States. Once we take control of Huifeng Bank, it will be equivalent to successfully entering the US market. So I am also a bit conflicted," He Shanheng continued.

Lin Haoran tapped his fingers lightly on the table, lost in thought for a moment.

This did surprise him.

Unexpectedly, Standard Chartered Bank is now considering selling off HSBC.

Moreover, it's almost entirely forced.

If you don't buy it, you can't blame Standard Chartered Bank for not obtaining the right to issue currency. It's not that they didn't help you obtain it; it's just that Hengsheng Group gave up.

“Uncle He, Standard Chartered Bank’s move is probably an attempt to use us to get rid of Huifeng Bank, this hot potato,” Lin Haoran said slowly. “On the one hand, they are using the restrictions on the right to issue currency to force us to make a choice;

On the other hand, they pushed the loss-making and problematic Huifeng Bank onto us under seemingly reasonable conditions.

He Shanheng nodded slightly, a hint of worry on his face: "That's true, Haoran, but Huifeng Bank's currency issuance rights and century-old brand value are really tempting."

Previously, your attempt to acquire Huifeng Bank was impossible; the Governor's Office and British companies would never allow it.

Now that they see that Huifeng Bank's value is not what it used to be, and that most of its real value has migrated to Standard Chartered Bank, they have begun to place no restrictions on Huifeng Bank.

If we acquire a controlling stake in Huifeng Bank and manage it properly, we might be able to turn the tide, making our financial position in Hong Kong more secure, and even opening the door to the US market.

However, the risks involved are considerable.

Lin Haoran stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the bustling city outside, his mind filled with countless thoughts.

After a moment, he turned around, his gaze firm: "Uncle He, we can't let Standard Chartered Bank lead us by the nose, but we can't easily give up the cake that is Huifeng Bank."

"What do you mean?" A hint of doubt flashed in He Shanheng's eyes.

“We are not in a hurry to decide whether to buy Huifeng Bank. They chose to sell Huifeng Bank’s controlling stake to us, which must be because they want to get a good price. You can directly show us the agreement we signed with them, which clearly states that we have no intention of acquiring Huifeng Bank.”

Standard Chartered Bank shouldn't be throwing problems at us. Instead, they should ensure that we obtain the right to issue banknotes without paying any price. Otherwise, they will have to compensate us HK$30 billion! Lin Haoran said directly.

Upon hearing this, He Shanheng was slightly taken aback, then a hint of admiration flashed in his eyes. He nodded and said, "Haoran, your tactic of retreating to advance is brilliant."

In this way, the initiative returned to us, putting Standard Chartered Bank in a dilemma.

Lin Haoran smiled and nodded, "That's right, Uncle He. They want to use this method to force us to take over Huifeng Bank, this hot potato, but we won't follow their tricks."

"The right to issue currency was something they promised to help us secure, and now they're using that to negotiate with us. It's really unfair."

He Shanheng stood up, paced around the office for a moment in thought, and then said, "Then I will reply to Standard Chartered Bank as you wish."

However, Haoran, we must also be prepared for both possibilities. If they truly refuse to compromise and insist that we acquire Huifeng Bank, we will have to reassess the feasibility and risks of the acquisition.

Lin Haoran walked over to He Shanheng, patted him on the shoulder, and said, "Uncle He, don't worry, I know what I'm doing. Even if they really want to acquire Huifeng Bank, we can't let them benefit."

We can start with a preliminary round of negotiations to find out their bottom line, and then make a decision based on the actual situation.

For Lin Haoran, acquiring Huifeng Bank was actually a good idea.

Although Huifeng Bank has lost many major clients, it is still an international bank with a history of over 100 years. Its business network spanning Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and the United States, as well as its profound financial foundation, remain unmatched by many banks.

Moreover, it holds the power to issue currency in Hong Kong, which is a prestigious asset in itself.

Although Huafeng Bank has lost most of its market share and has even fallen out of the ranks of Hong Kong's top-tier banks, its international business has not been greatly affected.

In fact, Lin Haoran also knew that it was indeed a difficult problem for non-listed banks to obtain the right to issue banknotes.

Acquiring Huifeng Bank would also be a good option.

This would not only immediately solve the problem of currency issuance rights, but also provide access to a mature international business platform.

However, there are some things that Lin Haoran doesn't need from Huifeng Bank.

For example, one of the few remaining important clients of Huifeng Bank is the Jialing Group.

This client is a ticking time bomb for Huifeng Bank. If Standard Chartered Bank really wants to sell Huifeng Bank to Hengsheng Group, Jialing Group and Huifeng Bank must draw a clear line between themselves.

To his knowledge, Caring Group currently owes Huifeng Bank billions of Hong Kong dollars in debt.

Previously, while Huifeng Bank and East Asia Bank, controlled by Lin Haoran, were engaged in commercial competition, Chen Songqing, the owner of Caring Group, used the pretext of "supporting Huifeng Bank against East Asia Bank" to transfer all of his financial and accounting businesses from Hong Kong Bank of Communications to Huifeng Bank, and successfully obtained a loan of HK$3 billion from Huifeng Bank.

Based on Lin Haoran's understanding of Chen Songqing, Chen Songqing had no intention of repaying this money at all.

Moreover, the Jianing Group will soon officially collapse, at which time Huifeng Bank will face a huge predicament of bad debts.

If we want him to take over Huifeng Bank, all of Chen Songqing's cooperation with Huifeng Bank will have to be transferred to Standard Chartered Bank.

So how should the debt problem be solved?
It's actually quite simple. After acquiring Huafeng Bank, Standard Chartered Bank has already invested a large amount of funds to lend to Huafeng Bank, helping it avoid the risk of a broken capital chain.

By transferring the debt owed by Caring Group to Huifeng Bank to Standard Chartered Bank, a portion of the debt owed by Huifeng Bank to Standard Chartered Bank can be offset.

In this way, Huifeng Bank can successfully get rid of the Jialing Group, a ticking time bomb that could explode at any moment.

He Shanheng nodded and said, "Okay, let's do it that way. I'll arrange for someone to contact Standard Chartered Bank and arrange the negotiations."

(End of this chapter)