In Hong Kong, we build a global business empire

Chapter 801 The number of chain convenience stores has exceeded 14,000!

In the following days, Lin Haoran maintained an extremely low profile and did not appear in any public places.

In fact, he rarely visits his own companies.

He went to a villa in the Mid-Levels of Wan Chai and spent two whole days with Liu Xiaoli, thoroughly enjoying himself and forgetting all about home.

During the day, Liu Xiaoli, dressed in a sexy dance costume, performs a solo dance for Lin Haoran on the third floor.

At night, leveraging her unique strengths as a dancer, she unlocks a variety of moves that Guo Xiaohan and Guan Jiahui could not achieve.

On November 4, Lin Haoran returned to his home in Deep Water Bay Villa and spent the night with his parents.

Nowadays, Lin Wan-an is busy with Media Asia Films (formerly Shaw Brothers) and the affairs of the new film studio, and has returned to his previous routine of not going home until around 7 p.m.

Lin Haoran specifically instructed him not to overwork himself like he had done at Wan'an Real Estate Company, so as to avoid health problems.

Lin Wan-an repeatedly promised that he had delegated much of the work to his subordinates, and that he would focus more on managing the overall situation of the company and would not overwork himself.

On November 6, He Shanheng called Lin Haoran.

After careful consideration, he concluded that Li Guowei was the right person to accompany Lin Haoran to New York and represent Lin Haoran's interests as an executive director at Citibank, and asked Lin Haoran if he had any objections.

In another world, Li Guowei is He Shanheng's future successor, becoming the chairman of Heng Sheng Bank in 1983.

However, in this world, all of this has clearly changed completely.

Lin Haoran had met him once before when he acquired Hengsheng Bank, and knew that he was outstanding in the banking industry. Otherwise, he would not have become He Shanheng's successor in another parallel universe.

Therefore, there must be a reason why He Shanheng felt that he was capable of this position.

However, to be on the safe side, Lin Haoran specifically met with Li Guowei in his private office at the Kang Le Building.

In the many exchanges, Li Guowei's answers indeed satisfied Lin Haoran quite a bit.

Moreover, Lin Haoran could see that the other party's loyalty was as high as 93. Although it was slightly inferior to the group's leaders, it was still an extremely high level of loyalty.

Therefore, Lin Haoran immediately made the decision to let Li Guowei accompany him to New York, USA.

At the same time, Lin Haoran promised Li Guowei that as long as he performed well at Citibank headquarters, he would have the opportunity to succeed He Shanheng as the next chairman of Hengsheng Group.

Li Guowei's performance did not disappoint Lin Haoran.

After Lin Haoran finalized the decision, Li Guowei's loyalty increased from 93 to 95.

With this, the selection of Lin Haoran's representative to be stationed at Citibank headquarters has finally been finalized.

Time flies, and it's already November 8th.

At 8:00 a.m., a luxurious private jet stood quietly on the tarmac of Kai Tak International Airport in Hong Kong.

"Boss, everything is ready. The airport tower has informed us that we can take off in thirty minutes." The captain stood respectfully beside Lin Haoran and reported to him.

Lin Haoran nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the captain. Seeing the captain's loyalty rating of 92, a smile appeared on his lips. He said, "Alright, now that you're ready, let's board and get ready."

At this moment, he was wearing a well-tailored dark suit, exuding composure and elegance in every gesture.

Following closely behind him was Guo Xiaohan, who wore an elegant white dress and looked like a fairy who had stepped out of a painting, gentle and charming.

Li Guowei walked further back, also dressed in a sharp dark suit, his eyes revealing a hint of anticipation for embarking on a new journey.

After all, the destination of this trip is Citibank.

This time, representing Lin Haoran, he will become a member of the executive board team of Citibank, and the responsibility he shoulders is immense.

Although he held an important position at Hengsheng Bank, it was undoubtedly inferior to Citibank.

Therefore, Li Guowei cherished this opportunity very much.

Lin Haoran stepped into the cabin, followed by Guo Xiaohan, Li Guowei, Li Weidong, Li Weiguo, and others.

With its leather seats, mahogany trim, and crystal wine glasses, this private jet exudes luxury and sophistication.

Guo Xiaohan sat down next to Lin Haoran. It was her first time riding on this private jet with Lin Haoran, and she seemed quite excited.

Half an hour later, the plane slowly taxied on the runway and then took off, taking in the bustling street scene of Hong Kong.

Lin Haoran leaned back in the comfortable leather seat, looking down at the gradually shrinking Victoria Harbour, somewhat looking forward to the rest of the trip.

The reason he set off so early was that he planned to stop in Tokyo, Japan for two days along the way.

It has been a full six months since I left Japan in May.

Although both Huo Jianning and Suzuki Toshifumi would regularly report on the company's situation to him, it was ultimately not as direct as a personal inspection.

After the plane reached a stable altitude, flight attendants in custom-made uniforms poured drinks for Lin Haoran and Guo Xiaohan.

Lin Haoran ordered a glass of red wine, while Guo Xiaohan chose a glass of cola.

Guo Xiaohan took a sip of her cola, unable to hide her excitement, and asked, "Brother Haoran, what are our plans for this trip to Japan? It's my first time going to Japan!"

Lin Haoran glanced back at her excited expression, a slight smile playing on his lips, before turning his gaze back to the sea of ​​clouds outside the window: "The main purpose is to inspect the Japanese branch of the Landmark Group, as well as 7-Eleven and Lawson convenience stores. These are all important part of our operations in Japan."

He paused, then turned to Guo Xiaohan and said gently, "Knowing this is your first time in Japan, I've already made arrangements. A female assistant from the Japan branch of Real Estate will show you around Tokyo and give you a taste of local life."

Guo Xiaohan originally wanted to say that she wanted to go with him to inspect the company, but then she thought that she was not familiar with these business matters and might disturb his work.

So she smiled sweetly and nodded obediently, "Thank you, Brother Haoran! Then I'll enjoy experiencing the local customs and culture of Japan."

Sitting a little further away, Li Guowei looked up from the Citibank documents and interjected at the opportune moment: "Boss, Huifeng Bank also has a branch in Tokyo. I'll go and inspect it on behalf of Hengsheng Group."

Lin Haoran nodded approvingly: "This is a good suggestion. Although Huifeng's business in Tokyo is not large, it is an important part of our layout in Asia and does need to be monitored regularly."

We have just acquired Huifeng Bank, and we don't yet have a complete understanding of Huifeng's overseas markets. When you visit, pay special attention to their credit business and customer structure.

“Understood.” Li Guowei immediately jotted down the key points. “I will prepare a detailed inspection report.”

Several hours later, the plane began to descend.

Through the porthole, the azure waters of Tokyo Bay and the dense urban buildings are clearly visible.

Guo Xiaohan pressed her face against the window with curiosity, watching this unfamiliar country gradually grow larger before her eyes.

Lin Haoran's visit was very low-key, and he had no intention of engaging in any dialogue with Japanese government officials. Therefore, only Huo Jianning and Suzuki Toshifumi, two regional leaders of Lin Haoran's companies, knew about it.

In fact, he even came from Hong Kong under a different identity this time.

In Hong Kong, it's perfectly normal for some business tycoons to have multiple identities for their personal safety, and Lin Haoran is no exception. Besides his identity as Lin Haoran, he has several other identities, which are unknown to others unless investigated carefully.

This will also save him a lot of trouble when he goes abroad.

As I stepped off the plane, a chill swept over me.

In November, the temperature in Tokyo was significantly lower than in Hong Kong; Lin Haoran estimated it to be only around ten degrees Celsius at most.

As they stepped out of the airport exit, Huo Jianning and Suzuki Toshifumi were already waiting at the airport with a number of cars.

"boss."

"Boss, welcome to Japan."

Huo Jianning and Suzuki Toshifumi quickly stepped forward and respectfully greeted Lin Haoran.

Lin Haoran nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over his two capable assistants.

Huo Jianning was dressed in a sharp suit and looked calm and composed, appearing much more mature than before.

Toshifumi Suzuki maintained the humble demeanor typical of Japanese businesspeople.

He also specifically checked their loyalty ratings, and Huo Jianning's was still 100%.
As for Suzuki Toshifumi, his loyalty remains the same at 90.
This pleased Lin Haoran greatly.

As long as loyalty remains unchanged, that's fine.

Once loyalty reached 90 or above, Lin Haoran didn't really care whether it increased or not. What he was most worried about was the loyalty of one of his generals dropping.

Once the price drops, it means the other party has done something wrong to the company or to him, and may very well be considered a traitor.

People like Burton, Chen Shoulin, Cui Zilong, He Zhenxing, and Ma Shimin are all in Hong Kong, and he sees them frequently, so there's no need to worry too much.

However, Suzuki Toshifumi and Huo Jianning are both in Japan, and he hasn't seen them for half a year, so he inevitably has to pay more attention.

"Thank you for coming all this way to pick me up," Lin Haoran said gently. "Let's go to the hotel first, and I'll briefly tell you about what's been going on."

Huo Jianning immediately stepped forward: "Boss, the car is ready. As you instructed, this trip is completely confidential; no officials have been notified."

The group walked quickly toward the parking lot.

As they walked, Toshifumi Suzuki reported, "The latest financial reports for 7-Eleven and Lawson are ready and await your review, especially regarding the progress of our expansion in the European market. There are some details that require an in-person report."

After getting into the extended limousine, Lin Haoran said to Guo Xiaohan, "Xiaohan, we'll take you to the Imperial Hotel to rest first. Jianning has already arranged a female assistant for you. If you want to go out or eat anything, just tell this assistant."

Guo Xiaohan nodded obediently: "Okay, Haoran, you guys have important business to attend to."

The convoy drove out of the airport and quickly merged into the traffic of Tokyo's evening.

"Jianning, thank you for your hard work." Lin Haoran said with a smile, looking at Huo Jianning sitting in the passenger seat.

Huo Jianning turned around and said earnestly, "Boss, this is what I should do. Also, I wanted to tell you that we've added five new real estate projects in Japan in the past six months. The project in Chuo Ward has the best prospects, with an expected annualized return of over 25%."

"Well done," Lin Haoran praised. "I'll go check out this project myself tomorrow."

Toshifumi Suzuki also briefly reported, "Boss, our convenience store business is developing better than expected. Currently, 7-Eleven has over 9,000 stores globally, and Lawson has over 5,000 stores. The total number of stores for the two convenience store brands has exceeded 14,000. At the current rate of expansion, we will achieve our goal of 20,000 stores in the first quarter of next year."

Lin Haoran nodded in satisfaction: "This is a very impressive achievement, but with such a rapid expansion, can the management keep up?"

He recalled that in July, the number of stores had just exceeded 10,000, but now it has exceeded 14,000, and this is not a blind expansion. This is indeed a good result.

The expansion of convenience stores has also boosted sales of fast-moving consumer goods under his Langwei Group.

"That's exactly what I wanted to report to you," Toshifumi Suzuki said earnestly. "We've invested a lot of resources in talent development and supply chain management, but we've certainly encountered some challenges."

Especially in the European market, due to cultural differences, we need to adjust our product mix.

Lin Haoran said thoughtfully, "This situation is very important. During tomorrow's inspection, I need to understand the response strategies in detail. Mr. Suzuki can go back to the company first. I will go there tomorrow afternoon. Today, I will go to the Land Group first."

“Yes, boss.” Toshifumi Suzuki nodded and said.

As the convoy entered downtown Tokyo, the neon lights outside the windows and the bustling street scenes were dazzling.

Lin Haoran looked at this familiar yet vibrant city and felt a sense of emotion.

Six months ago, he made a fortune in Tokyo by investing in Toyota Motor Corporation stock.

Returning to this city now evokes a unique feeling in my heart.

After settling Guo Xiaohan in the presidential suite of the Empire Hotel, Lin Haoran and Huo Jianning immediately went to the Japanese branch of Hongkong Land Group.

Meanwhile, Toshifumi Suzuki drove back to the company by himself.

When they arrived at the Ginza business district, where the Japanese branch of JKD Group is located, Keiko Yamada was already waiting at the entrance.

Upon seeing Lin Haoran, she bowed deeply: "Boss, welcome back to Japan."

At this moment, she was very excited, but she dared not show it, after all, there were many outsiders present.

Lin Haoran looked at the beautiful Japanese woman who was ostensibly his secretary in Japan but had long since become his woman, and nodded with a smile, saying, "Huizi, thank you for your hard work."

“It’s all I should do.” Huizi looked up, a hint of undisguised joy flashing in her eyes, but she quickly regained her professional expression. “Boss, President Huo, the meeting room is ready, and the heads of all departments are waiting.”

Lin Haoran noticed that Huizi's loyalty remained stable at 100, which made him very pleased.

Guided by Huizi, the group went directly to the conference room on the top floor.

Inside the meeting room, senior executives from Landsea Japan stood up in unison to greet them.

Lin Haoran sat down in the main seat and glanced at everyone present.

Huo Jianning immediately began to preside over the report.

After listening to reports from President Huo Jianning, Vice President Zhao Xin, Marketing Director Sato Shimono, and others, Lin Haoran inspected the Hongkong Land Group's Japanese headquarters building, which originally cost 138 billion yen, or about 4 million Hong Kong dollars.

He was very satisfied with the development in Japan; everything was progressing steadily according to the plans he had made when he left Japan.

After the inspection, Lin Haoran said to Huo Jianning, "The results of the past six months have exceeded my expectations, especially the project in the Central District. The planning was very thorough. Keep up the good work, and when the time is right, I will transfer you back to the Hong Kong headquarters to succeed Mr. Ma Shimin."

Now that the Galaxy Strategic Committee has been established, Ma Shimin, as the chairman of the Strategic Committee, will gradually shift his focus to the overall coordination of the bank's strategic committee, and his management of Hongkong Land Group will naturally decrease.

Huo Jianning was already the designated successor to Lin Haoran and Ma Shimin as the president of Hong Kong Land Group's Hong Kong headquarters, so Hong Kong Land Group's Japanese branch was naturally not a place for Huo Jianning to stay for long.

Upon hearing this, Huo Jianning's eyes flashed with excitement, but he quickly regained his composure: "Thank you for your guidance, boss. I will definitely continue to work hard and live up to your expectations."

As evening fell, Lin Haoran did not go to the Imperial Hotel, but returned to his former residence in Tokyo.

It's located at the border of Chuo Ward and Chiyoda Ward, just one street away from the Imperial Palace. The area is very safe, and he bought it for 80 million yen.

The reason why Guo Xiaohan was not arranged to stay here, but instead placed in the Imperial Hotel, is quite simple.

After he left Japan six months ago, he allowed Keiko Yamada to continue living in the villa.

Firstly, it was to provide Huizi with a comfortable place to live, and secondly, it was to have her help take care of the property so that the villa wouldn't be abandoned, since it was just sitting empty anyway.

When Lin Haoran stepped into this familiar villa, every plant and tree was exactly the same as when he left Japan half a year ago, unchanged.

The pine trees in the courtyard are still neatly trimmed, and the flower arrangement in the entrance hall maintains the exquisite Japanese aesthetic.

Huizi had arranged for servants to take care of everything in advance, and the air was filled with a faint sandalwood scent, which was Lin Haoran's favorite fragrance.

"Boss, your room is ready, the same one you stayed in before," Keiko Yamada said softly, her eyes filled with undisguised joy.

Keiko Yamada visited Hong Kong in early August, but didn't stay long.

Several months have passed since then, and this Japanese girl, whose heart belongs only to Lin Haoran, has naturally been looking forward to Lin Haoran coming to Japan for a long time.

Lin Haoran looked around and nodded in satisfaction: "Huizi, you've worked hard these past six months."

"It's all Keiko's duty." Keiko Yamada lowered her head slightly, a blush rising on her face. "Boss, would you like to take a shower first? I'll go to the bathroom and run some hot water."

Lin Haoran was indeed feeling a bit tired. The long flight and a whole day of inspection made him want to relax first.

"Okay, you can go and get ready."

An hour later, with Keiko Yamada's help, Lin Haoran got up comfortably from the bathtub.

When I changed into comfortable loungewear and arrived at the dining room, the maid had already prepared a sumptuous Japanese dinner.

A fresh sashimi platter, slow-grilled Wagyu beef, a steaming sumo hot pot, and a small pot of warm sake.

"Boss, please have your meal." Huizi knelt beside the table and poured him wine.

Lin Haoran took a sip of sake and looked at the gentle and considerate Japanese woman in front of him, and couldn't help but recall the bits and pieces of his time in Tokyo half a year ago.

"Huizi, how have you been in Japan these past six months?" Lin Haoran asked casually.

“Thanks to the boss, everything is fine. I’ve also learned a lot at the Japan branch of Jukyo.” Keiko answered softly, but a hint of loneliness was visible in her eyes.

Seeing this, Lin Haoran smiled and said, "Now that transportation is convenient, if you miss me in the future, just fly to Hong Kong to find me. I will reserve a place for you to stay in Hong Kong, and I will also come to Japan to inspect the company from time to time."

After dinner, Lin Haoran sat on the sofa on the second floor and picked up a magazine to read.

Huizi knelt quietly to his side, occasionally refilling his tea.

"Boss, would you like me to give you a massage?" Huizi asked softly as Lin Haoran rubbed his temples.

Lin Haoran nodded and lay down on the tatami mat. Huizi's slender yet strong fingers traced patterns on his shoulders and back, precisely locating every acupoint that ached.

"Boss, is the pressure just right?"

"Very good, your skills have improved again." Lin Haoran closed his eyes to enjoy the moment.

After the massage, Keiko Yamada did not leave immediately, but knelt quietly to the side.

Lin Haoran turned over and saw the expectation and tenderness in Huizi's eyes, and he understood.

He reached out and gently stroked Keiko's cheek: "These past six months have been tough for you, all alone in Japan."

“It’s not hard work. Just thinking about the boss fills me with energy.” Huizi pressed her face against Lin Haoran’s palm, like a docile kitten.

Lin Haoran smiled slightly and pulled Huizi into his arms...

next morning
Sunlight streamed into the bedroom through the washi paper sliding doors.

When Lin Haoran woke up, Yamada Keiko was no longer by his side.

He got up and went to the bathroom, where he found the bathtub already filled with hot water, and clean bathrobes and towels neatly arranged next to it.

After washing up, he went to the dining room, where Keiko was setting out breakfast.

"Good morning, boss." Huizi's face beamed with happiness. "This morning you arranged to meet President Huo at the Central District project site at 9:30."

Lin Haoran nodded and enjoyed the sumptuous Japanese breakfast prepared by Huizi.

At nine o'clock in the morning, Huo Jianning arrived at the villa on time to pick up Lin Haoran.

He will spend the next two days in Tokyo, gaining an in-depth understanding of his company's businesses.

……

Before we knew it, it was November 10th.

Tokyo Haneda Airport.

“Jianning, after I leave Japan, I'll be handing everything over to you,” Lin Haoran suddenly said. “Especially the cooperative projects with Mitsui and Mitsubishi, you must keep a close eye on them.”

"Don't worry, boss, I will report the progress to you regularly," Huo Jianning solemnly promised.

“Mr. Suzuki, thank you for your hard work in developing Southern Company. I hope that when I come to Japan next time, I will see 7-Eleven and Lawson achieve even greater breakthroughs in the global market,” Lin Haoran said, turning to Suzuki Toshifumi.

Toshifumi Suzuki bowed deeply: "Boss, please rest assured, I will live up to your expectations and take the convenience store business to new heights."

Keiko Yamada didn't come because she knew that Guo Xiaohan, the official wife, had also come along, and she chose to avoid the awkward situation.

She simply straightened Lin Haoran's collar as he left the villa and watched him get into his car.

When she accepted this relationship with Lin Haoran, she was already mentally prepared for it.

At nine o'clock in the morning, the plane took off again, this time bound for New York, USA.

(End of this chapter)