In Hong Kong, we build a global business empire

Lin Haoran put down the document he had on hand, which was located in SoHo, Lower Manhattan, and picked up another one.

This is a 32-story building located in the East Side of Midtown, built in the 1960s, with a total floor area of ​​approximately 400,000 square feet, and a asking price of US$28 million.

The location isn't bad, but it's a few blocks from Central Station, so it's not exactly in the heart of the area.

Lin Haoran looked at it and put it in the "pending" pile.

Just as he was about to take a look at a document, the office phone rang.

The landline phones in the offices of senior executives at Citibank headquarters are mostly encrypted. Those who can get through are not ordinary people, and very few people know that he lives in this office.

Lin Haoran put down the documents in his hand and reached for the microphone with a puzzled look.

"Boss, it's me, Su Zhixue. I got your number from Mr. Li Guowei. I have something to report to you." Su Zhixue's voice came from the other end of the phone.

"Could it be that the issues between Argentina and Venezuela have been resolved?" Lin Haoran guessed with a smile.

"Boss, you're truly a genius." Su Zhixue's voice carried a hint of a smile. "The positions in Argentina were all closed out four days ago, and the positions in Venezuela were also just closed out."

The profits from these two countries will be higher than we previously estimated; I'll give you the specific figures when I return to New York.

Perhaps because he was worried about being tapped on the phone, Su Zhixue did not reveal specific numbers over the phone. Although such a situation was almost impossible, Su Zhixue has always been cautious in his actions.

Moreover, Lin Haoran could tell from his tone that the profits from this operation involving the remaining two Latin American debtor countries must be quite considerable.

Previously, Su Zhixue estimated that the profits from Argentina and Venezuela would be between $80 billion and $100 billion. Now, after hearing his report, it seems that the figure will only be higher, not lower.

Lin Haoran secretly calculated that, adding the profits he had earned from Mexico and Brazil, the overall gains from this Latin American debt crisis would probably exceed 40 billion US dollars.

“Okay, I’ll wait for you to return to New York. When is your flight?” Lin Haoran said with a smile.

“I plan to take a direct flight from Simón Bolívar International Airport in Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, at 5 p.m. to New York. The flight will take about 6 hours, and I expect to arrive at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York at 11 p.m. New York time,” Su Zhixue replied quickly.

"Okay, I got it. I'll pick you up from the airport myself tonight!" Lin Haoran said with a smile.

"Boss, no need, it's too late. Han Zixing will send a car to pick me up!" Su Zhixue hurriedly declined, he dared not let his boss pick him up from the airport in person.

Although he had followed Lin Haoran for so many years and their relationship was no longer just that of superior and subordinate, he still maintained a proper sense of propriety.

Lin Haoran smiled and said, "Zhixue, you are the number one hero in this Latin American operation. It is only right that I pick you up. It's settled then. I will pick you up from the airport tonight, and then we will find a place to eat something and talk while we eat."

Seeing Lin Haoran's resolute attitude, Su Zhixue stopped refusing and felt a surge of warmth in his heart.

He had followed Lin Haoran for so many years. Although this young boss didn't usually manage the specific affairs, he was always sincere to the old men who followed him.

This kind of sentiment is more precious than any prize money.

“Okay, boss, see you tonight,” Su Zhixue said.

Lin Haoran hung up the phone, put down the receiver, and his gaze fell on the thick stack of documents on the coffee table.

However, his mind was not on these documents at the moment.

Compared to the gains from the Latin American debt crisis, the returns on these real estate investments are simply incomparable.

In fact, of the initial $15 billion of his investment in Latin America, only the first $1.5 billion came from his own pocket.

Subsequent investments in Mexico, as well as investments in Brazil, Argentina, and Venezuela, were all made by rolling over profits earned during Mexico's debt crisis.

In other words, with a principal of $15 billion, he has made more than $40 billion in profit in less than a year, starting in February of this year, through leverage and rolling operations.

Such a rate of return would be astonishing in any industry.

In less than a year, he made more than twenty times the profit, which was also the largest sum of money he had earned since he came to this world.

In the past, making billions of dollars from each wave of opportunities was already considered a very impressive achievement.

This time, it exceeded four hundred billion US dollars!
Even decades later in the 2020s, this figure would still be an incredibly staggering and astonishing fortune.

Moreover, in 1982, the purchasing power of 40 billion US dollars was equivalent to hundreds of billions of US dollars in later years.

This amount of money is enough to buy all the assets of a small country.

Of course, he also knew that opportunities like the Latin American debt crisis were extremely rare.

Therefore, he doesn't expect every investment to be so profitable.

Lin Haoran leaned back in his chair, in a very good mood.

This money came so easily.

Su Zhixue said that the positions in Argentina and Venezuela have been closed out, which means that this investment has officially ended. All that is needed is to wait for the funds to be transferred out of these countries through various channels.

This will take some time, but there won't be any problems; they already have plenty of experience and established channels.

However, Lin Haoran was not blinded by these numbers.

He knew that money in the financial market comes and goes quickly.

Today you might earn 40 billion, but tomorrow you might lose 40 billion.

Most importantly, such an opportunity may not come around even once every few years.

Therefore, what he needs is not a short-term windfall, but a continuous and stable increase in wealth.

Therefore, he had already made the decision to diversify his investments across different sectors.

Real estate, sports, luxury goods, technology...

Every field has its own cycles and patterns. With proper planning, a portfolio of assets that supports each other and diversifies risks can be formed.

……

Before we knew it, it was 11 p.m.

At this moment, Lin Haoran, accompanied by Li Weidong, Li Weiguo, and a driver from Citibank, appeared at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York.

Su Zhixue's flight landed on time, and Lin Haoran stood at the arrival gate, watching the passengers come out one after another.

He was wearing a dark gray overcoat and a navy blue scarf, with his hands in his pockets.

Li Weidong and Li Weiguo stood on either side of him, vigilantly observing their surroundings.

"Boss, over there." Li Weidong pointed ahead.

Lin Haoran looked in the direction Li Weidong was pointing and saw Su Zhixue dragging his suitcase out, his face showing the fatigue of a long flight.

He was wearing a dark blue suit with a black overcoat, and his hair was neatly combed.

Beside him were more than a dozen long-time employees of Huanyu Investment Company. Lin Haoran knew some of these employees well, and knew the names of others but rarely had any contact with them.

They all have one thing in common: their loyalty levels are all over 90.
This is precisely why these talents have always been worthy of Lin Haoran's trust, becoming one of the core team members of Huanyu Investment Company and participating in many important investments.

Upon seeing Lin Haoran, Su Zhixue and the other employees quickly stepped forward.

"Thank you for your hard work!" Lin Haoran said to them with a smile.

"Boss, thank you for your help." Su Zhixue's voice was a little hoarse, and his eyes were full of gratitude.

His loyalty score of 100 above his head was particularly eye-catching.

The dozen or so employees around Su Zhixue also greeted Lin Haoran.

After a long flight of about six hours, everyone looked tired, but seeing the boss personally come to pick them up from the airport, their spirits were lifted.

They didn't expect that their boss would personally come to pick them up from the airport.

Although Su Zhixue already knew that Lin Haoran would come in person, he had not mentioned it to his subordinates.

Now, suddenly seeing the big boss personally welcoming them felt like ancient soldiers returning victorious from battle, greeted by the emperor himself. That feeling of being valued and recognized was more heartwarming than any bonus. These long-time employees who had followed Su Zhixue back from Venezuela all had tears welling up in their eyes.

They've followed Lin Haoran for years, from Hong Kong to the United States, watching their boss transform from an ordinary rich kid into a global business tycoon. In just a few years, they've realized that the gap between them and their boss is widening.

Huanyu Investment Company's repeated successes are not something they dare to take credit for, because they all know that they are merely carrying out the boss's operational orders, while the real judgments and decisions are made by Lin Haoran himself.

So when their boss personally greeted them at the airport, the feeling of being respected and recognized filled them with excitement.

They knew they had chosen the right people to follow.

Lin Haoran smiled and patted Su Zhixue on the shoulder, then shook hands with each of the other employees, clearly calling out each employee's name.

This moved the employees even more.

They never expected that their busy boss would still remember each of their names.

"Let's go, get in the car first, find a place to eat something, and chat while we eat," Lin Haoran said with a smile. "You probably didn't eat well on the plane, so I've had someone book a restaurant for you. Hot dishes are waiting for you."

As the group walked out of the terminal, Citibank's driver had already arranged several minivans.

Lin Haoran and Su Zhixue got into the first car, Li Weidong sat in the passenger seat, and Li Weiguo led the other employees into the following cars.

The car drove out of the airport and merged into the traffic of the late night.

At a very famous Chinese restaurant in New York's Chinatown, Lin Haoran hosted a welcome dinner for his employees.

He had been to this restaurant a few times. The owner was an immigrant from Hong Kong, and the Cantonese cuisine was authentic. The restaurant was open until 2 a.m.

Lin Haoran had someone make arrangements in advance, and the restaurant reserved a large private room for them, which could easily seat more than a dozen people.

The banquet didn't end until 1 a.m.

During the trip, Lin Haoran did not discuss anything about Latin American debt with Su Zhixue. Instead, they chatted like old friends who had not seen each other for many years, reminiscing about their time in Hong Kong and the days when they worked hard together.

From its initial small office near the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, to its later move to the Federal International Building, and then to a skyscraper in New York, from small-scale operations of a few million Hong Kong dollars to large-scale projects of hundreds of billions of US dollars today, every milestone is still vivid in my memory.

The veteran employees chatted amongst themselves, reminiscing about the old days, their voices filled with laughter and emotion.

Lin Haoran changed their lives.

If they hadn't joined Universal Investment Company, they would still be struggling in Hong Kong for a few thousand Hong Kong dollars a month, desperately trying to make money among the many financial traders.

Now, everyone present has at least tens of millions of Hong Kong dollars in wealth.

All of this was brought to them by Lin Haoran.

Therefore, their loyalty to Lin Haoran was not only because of his salary and bonuses, but more so because of a heartfelt gratitude and respect.

As Lin Haoran listened to their stories, a warm feeling welled up in his heart. These people were the foundation of his career.

Without them, even the best of his judgments would be impossible to implement.

Therefore, he never treated them as subordinates, but as partners in starting a business together, so he was always very generous when it came to bonuses.

This kind of bond is more endearing than any equity incentive.

After the banquet, Lin Haoran had his driver take Su Zhixue and his employees back to their residences before returning to the hotel.

Li Weidong and Li Weiguo followed behind, and neither of them spoke a word the whole way.

Back in the hotel room, Liu Xiaoli helped Lin Haoran take off his suit jacket and hang it on the hanger.

Lin Haoran walked to the window and looked out at Manhattan.

In the dead of night, many skyscrapers in Manhattan have turned off their lights, leaving only a few scattered lights on, as if the weary city has closed its eyes, leaving only a few sleepless stars.

In the distance, the Hudson River flows quietly in the night, its surface reflecting the lights on both banks, creating a shimmering effect.

The city's hustle and bustle finally quieted down, and even the large screen in Times Square in the distance switched to a low-brightness mode.

Lin Haoran stood there, his hands in his pockets, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon.

The scenes from tonight's banquet were still replaying in his mind: the light in the eyes of the veteran employees as they reminisced about the past, the sincerity in their laughter, and the words of gratitude.

He even discovered that after the banquet that night, perhaps because he personally greeted the employees, or perhaps because he remained so approachable despite his high position, he found that the loyalty of six or seven employees had increased again.

有些人的忠诚度从92涨到93，有些人从93涨到95，最高的一位从95涨到了97。

It's important to understand that once loyalty reaches 90%, increasing it by even one point becomes extremely difficult, especially for those who aren't high-level managers.

They were just ordinary employees of Huanyu Investment Company. Although they were among the core members, they were not part of the core management team like Su Zhixue.

A loyalty score of over 90 already demonstrates a high level of identification and belonging to Lin Haoran and the company. A score that rises further indicates genuine, heartfelt emotion.

Lin Haoran secretly noted down the names of these employees whose loyalty had increased again, intending to tell Su Zhixue later so that they could receive more training and opportunities in their future work.

Loyalty is not the only measure of a person, but in the financial industry, which is full of temptations and uncertainties, loyalty is often more valuable than ability.

Liu Xiaoli walked up from behind and handed him a cup of warm milk, saying, "Boss, it's late, you should rest. The bathtub is already filled with hot water, let me help you take a bath."

Lin Haoran took the milk, drank it all in one gulp, and said with a smile, "Okay, it is indeed getting late."

It was past 1 a.m. when I got back to the hotel, so I really should get some rest.

In the bathroom, Liu Xiaoli, like a maidservant in ancient times, helped Lin Haoran take off his clothes, her movements gentle and skillful.

The bathroom was softly lit and filled with steam. Lin Haoran closed his eyes and let the warm water wash over his body.

All the fatigue from the busy days, the running around, the negotiations, and the decision-making seemed to be washed away in this moment.

In the blink of an eye, the night passed, and it was December 29th.

Perhaps because he fell asleep too late last night, Lin Haoran did not wake up until after nine o'clock in the morning.

He had already told Su Zhixue that he would go to Huanyu Investment Company today to talk to him face-to-face about things in Latin America.

However, there's no rush.

Therefore, it wasn't until 11 a.m. that Lin Haoran took Li Weidong and Li Weiguo out.

As for Liu Xiaoli, he specially arranged a female tour guide for her to visit New York's attractions, so that she wouldn't have to go back and forth between the hotel and Citibank headquarters every day.

Lin Haoran also brought along information on more than thirty buildings that he was already interested in.

Upon arriving at the headquarters of Huanyu Investment Company near Times Square and entering the office, Lin Haoran could clearly sense that the atmosphere in the office was more lively, perhaps because Su Zhixue and more than a dozen core employees had returned.

Although the newly recruited employees from Wall Street did not know exactly what Su Zhixue and his group had done, they could tell from their calm and capable demeanor that these people were no ordinary individuals.

The dozen or so veteran employees that Su Zhixue brought back were the cornerstone of Huanyu Investment Company; with them around, Lin Haoran felt at ease.

"Boss, you've arrived." Han Zixing, who happened to be nearby, spotted Lin Haoran immediately and came over to greet him. "President Su is waiting for you in his office."

Lin Haoran nodded, walked through the corridor, and headed towards Su Zhixue's office.

As he passed through the trading hall, he saw through the glass wall that it was brightly lit, with dozens of traders busy at simple square computer screens, telephones ringing incessantly, and various numbers and curves flashing on the large screen.

After Su Zhixue returned, the atmosphere in the trading hall was noticeably different. The veteran employees sat in their respective seats, looking focused and composed, as if they had never left.

New York's financial industry is indeed far more advanced than Hong Kong's.

Putting aside other factors, many financial institutions have already established DOT connections with stock exchanges, with electronic order routing to market makers in the trading floor. Although there is a certain delay of a few seconds, this is unimaginable in Hong Kong.

Financial transactions in Hong Kong were still in the stage of telephone order placement and manual matching, and the efficiency and speed were not even in the same league as those in New York.

This is why Lin Haoran moved the headquarters of Huanyu Investment Company to New York. Only here can he access the world's most cutting-edge financial technology and top financial talent.

Hong Kong is ultimately too small. (End of Chapter)