A century-old wealthy family that rose from Shanghai

Chapter 253 Family Matters

"Fist of Fury" was even more passionate than "Huo Yuanjia" and set off a trend of "martial arts" and "national unity" in Shanghai. After only 20 days of release at Times Pictures, it earned over 10 yuan at the box office, with a daily attendance rate of % to %.

In the administrative office of Times Cinema, Zhuang Zhujiu reported earnestly: "Mr. Chen, Times Cinema also received 1.2 yuan in merchandise sales."

Chen Guangliang nodded in satisfaction, then asked, "Have you ever calculated how much our daily expenses are?"

Zhuang Zhujiu said confidently:

"I've calculated it. Including taxes, electricity, staff salaries, advertising, and so on, it's about 1100 yuan. Because we have a 2200% discount with the film company, we normally need to sell 55 yuan a day to break even. In other words, if we sell out three shows a day (currently because we're adding extra shows), we need a % attendance rate to break even."

"Of course, the advantage of the 'dual hall model' designed by Mr. Chen comes into play. We can choose between two halls for additional performances, which is more convenient."

"Also, the profit from merchandise sales reached 50%, which greatly increased the profits of Times Cinema."

I heard that Chen Guangliang was also very motivated. It was not because he made a lot of money, but because he had once again started a new business and achieved good results.

Chen Guangliang said, "Well, the second round of theaters will start, and the attendance here will be much lower, but Fist of Fury should be able to run for 45 consecutive days without any problems."

It's usually this hot.

Zhuang Zhujiu nodded and then said, "Mr. Chen, there's one more thing you might not have noticed. Our 100 yuan stock has now skyrocketed to over 210 yuan."

Chen Guangliang was stunned and asked, "It increased so much?"

Zhuang Zhujiu said, "Yes, and it's still rising. After all, we're a one-stop industry that provides production, distribution, and theaters. Everyone is optimistic about all aspects of our business!"

They made 15 yuan from "Huo Yuanjia". At that time, there was no Times Cinema, but they made this amount just from box office and buyouts; "Fist of Fury" is even better, and it is expected to be bought out by various overseas companies soon.

On the other hand, Times Cinema is now open and making a lot of money.

All in all, the market value of Times Cinema has reached about three million oceans, which is quite exaggerated.

Thinking of this, Chen Guangliang immediately said, "I want to issue a batch of new shares. For example, I can issue 1000 shares of Times Film with a par value of 100 yuan, and issue them at a price of 200 yuan or 190 yuan per share, which is slightly lower than the market price by 10%. I want to raise 20 yuan for Times Film. What do you think?"

As of now, Times Film has issued a total of 12500 million shares.

Zhuang Zhujiu used to work in a bank, so he was naturally familiar with finance. The key point was that Chen Guangliang had issued new shares twice to acquire two small film companies.

Therefore, he said: "The key is to explain where the money from issuing new shares is used."

Chen Guangliang said without hesitation: "Of course we will continue to build second, third and fourth run cinemas in Shanghai. After all, many cinemas were destroyed in this bombing, so we can speed up and seize these markets."

After establishing a number of third- and fourth-run cinemas this year, we will prepare to enter Hong Kong and overseas markets next year.

Now that Zhuang Zhujiu has decided to work at Times Cinema, his abilities are naturally suitable for these markets.

"If that's the case, I think a lot of people would be happy to subscribe."

"Well, I'll have someone plan it carefully."

The current stock market has no rules, the key is how to cheat people.

Subsequently.

Zhuang Zhujiu accompanied Chen Guangliang outside. The advertisement of Times Cinema was very shocking. Chen Zhen kicked the plaque of "Sick Man of East Asia" in mid-air and smashed it.

Afterwards, Chen Guangliang came to the Paramount land and asked, "What does Gu plan to build?"

The construction site has started, but Chen Guangliang doesn’t know what the Gu family is planning to build!
Zhuang Zhujiu replied, "The ballroom is said to be called the Paramount Ballroom."

Chen Guangliang was speechless and said, "Our Shangri-La Hotel's ballroom is still there, and they dared to open two ballrooms on the same street."

Zhuang Zhujiu smiled and said, "Perhaps it's an obsession. From my personal point of view, it's really hard to make money in a dance hall; but the Gu brothers may want to do something to prove their sense of achievement in the Shanghai Stock Exchange."

Chen Guangliang stopped talking nonsense. After all, the Gu brothers were destined to fail in their investment.

In fact, although the family wealth of these so-called Nanxun "Four Elephants, Eight Oxen and Seventy-two Golden Dogs" is still huge, after all, the family members have been in existence for three or four generations, so the wealth allocated to each room is naturally less.

This is also the reason why the Gu brothers invested in Paramount and sought investment everywhere.

Chen Guangliang invested in Time Films to solicit investment because his focus wasn't there and he needed help. Zhuang Zhujiu and Sheng Qi were now executives at Time Films, freeing him up to do much of the heavy lifting while still enjoying the joys of being a boss.

In the evening, Chen Guangliang invited his second uncle and his family to the villa for dinner, which was considered a family dinner.

After dinner, Chen Guangliang called his cousin Yang Xiuying to the living room on the third floor. Of course, Yan Renmei was also there.

Chen Guangliang and Yan Renmei sat on the sofa, and then he said, "Sit down, why are you being so polite!"

Yang Xiuying said with a smile: "Isn't this my sister-in-law here? I respect her."

Yan Renmei didn't know about Yang Xiuying and Chen Guangliang's past. She thought they were just cousins, so she said kindly, "We're all of the same generation. There's no need to be so formal. Besides, we've known each other for over a year, and there's never been a day like this."

Yang Xiuying knew that her cousin must have called her up for a serious matter, so she acted like that.

Then, she sat on the sofa and looked at the third floor, which was said to be the private space of her cousin and cousin-in-law.

Chen Guangliang asked, "Did Guangcong say anything to you before he went to Hong Kong?"

Yang Xiuying nodded and said, "Yes, he said he likes me!"

This character is really that of a "tiger girl" who doesn't hide her true self. She is also quite plump in physique. Could it be that her brother likes people like her?

But even so, the rich lady is also wealthy. With Chen Guangliang's status, it is easy for him to introduce a family to his brother. I don't know how many people want to get in touch with him.

In the end, it can only be explained that Chen Guangcong was a little introverted when he first came to Shanghai. Yang Xiuying was the girl he saw most often, and Yang Xiuying had a straightforward personality, which was very helpful to him when he first arrived.

Yan Renmei was a little surprised, but did not say anything. After all, it was Brother Liang who made the decision!
"How did you answer him?"

Yang Xiuying said calmly, "I have two points: First, you, cousin, have the final say on matters like this; second, I hope he can study hard and do his best, and not think about these things."

This Hu Niu is not stupid!

There are many ways here:

First, Yang Xiuying knew that if her eldest cousin didn't support her, even if she wanted to marry him, Chen Guangcong might not have the courage to resist.

Secondly, by keeping Chen Guangcong in suspense, he can also appear to be very sensible.

Chen Guangliang stopped talking and said, "Well, you're right to encourage him. A man who only knows how to have fun is not worthy of a woman's support. Okay, get off!"

Yang Xiuying asked tentatively: "Don't you want to know what I think?"

Chen Guangliang waved his hand and said, "Go ahead. In the future, encourage Guangcong to make progress and improve yourself."

Yang Xiuying stood up and said respectfully, "Brother, sister-in-law, I'll go first!" After she left, Yan Renmei asked curiously, "Do you hope that they will succeed or not?"

Chen Guangliang said: "Just let it happen naturally, I won't stop it. But if Guangcong is not mature and bold enough, I won't let him get married."

The reason why he trained Chen Guangcong was naturally because he considered that when war came, this younger brother could grow up and contribute to the family.

Yan Renmei said, "So Guangcong likes Xiuying. I even said I would introduce her to some classmates later!"

Chen Guangliang said, "Everyone has their own preferences. I never thought Guangcong liked a girl like Xiuying!"

Yan Renmei immediately laughed and said, "Don't give random nicknames. Girls take this very seriously."

Chen Guangliang did not refute.

If Yan Renmei knew that Yang Xiuying almost became her first wife, she would definitely not be able to stand her ground.

Hong Kong.

Early in the morning, Chen Guangcong came to the Hong Kong branch of Oriental Daily News to take newspapers to deliver.

Manager Wang from the Distribution Department took out a thick stack of newspapers and handed it to Chen Guangcong, saying, "Cong, this is for you. Remember to deliver it to every place. If you miss any place, it will be troublesome!"

Chen Guangcong quickly took it, tied it to the back of the bicycle, and said, "I understand, Manager Wang, I will definitely not forget it."

Manager Wang smiled and nodded, and it was obvious at a glance that he was taking care of Chen Guangcong.

Of course, he didn't know who Chen Guangcong was. He only knew that he was arranged by the Hong Kong head of Oriental Daily. It might be because of his superiors!
Subsequently.

Chen Guangcong rode his bicycle and started delivering newspapers to newspaper vendors in the Wan Chai area. It was still dark at that time, and he wanted to deliver the newspapers as soon as possible.

This is his daily work. He basically gets up at 3:30 in the morning and is almost done with his work by 7:30 in the morning. Then he takes care of some simple things and his work for the day is over.

He asked for this job himself. The Hong Kong head of Oriental Daily knew Chen Guangcong's identity and naturally gave him convenience.

At this time, Chen Guangcong had no bodyguards, only one person delivering newspapers. He did not understand Cantonese, and although he knew some English, he did not use it much.

"Shanghai guy, here to deliver the newspaper again!"

"Uncle Kun, I'm from Ningbo!"

"Haha, you're a Ningbo guy, you came to Hong Kong to eat. I don't understand if you got kicked in the head by a donkey. Shanghai is so developed!"

"Hong Kong is great too. Uncle Kun, take your time and I'll be busy delivering newspapers!"

"go Go"

Although he looked down on Chen Guangcong at the beginning, Uncle Kun did not deliberately make things difficult for him after a few days. The reason was simple: this kid looked a bit cultured and had a tolerant personality. He would not get angry no matter how he was teased.

Chen Guangcong rode his bicycle through the narrow streets, thinking about some things in his mind - his elder brother attached great importance to Hong Kong. Before coming, he told him about the geographical layout of Hong Kong and asked him to come and investigate. In fact, he also wanted to familiarize himself with the environment here.

So after the bodyguard had been taking him around for half a month, he immediately asked the bodyguard to return to Shanghai, and he himself joined the Oriental Daily, looking for a job and trying to deal with the locals.

"My eldest brother seems to speak Cantonese. This shows that Hong Kong will become an important place for the family in the future."

With this firm belief in mind, Chen Guangcong worked even harder.

After delivering all the newspapers, Chen Guangcong would stand near the newsstand and observe the sales of Oriental Daily. His work was relatively easy, and his afternoons were his free time. He would go out and explore Hong Kong, and his daily life was already living in the dormitory of the newspaper office.

It's clear that Oriental Daily's sales in Hong Kong far exceed those of other foreign newspapers. This is because, when it first arrived in Hong Kong, its headquarters prioritized localization, recruiting local journalists to cover local news. Furthermore, Oriental Daily's unique editorial team and style were brought here, a proven success.

To put it simply, it is like Murdoch in his previous life acquiring British newspapers, bringing editors and reporters from Australia to Britain, and quickly bringing the newspapers back to life.

Therefore, the sales volume of Oriental Daily News in Hong Kong has exceeded 1 copies, making it a best-selling newspaper.

At the end of the month, Chen Guangliang brought Lu Yuantai, Xia Gaoxiang, Ye Ximing and other senior executives to the construction site of the "Ping An Bank Building".

The seven-story Ping An Building has been completed and is currently undergoing interior decoration. It is expected to be put into use in October.

The entire project, from purchasing the land to commissioning, took only a little over a year; if calculated from the start of construction, it was only 10 months.

The building is also constructed of reinforced concrete, with the exterior primarily featuring plain concrete walls, emphasizing vertical lines for a clean, simple look. Art Deco elements are featured on some walls and corners.

Everyone walked inside and inspected the vault first. The vault here was not very big, but they were planning to install a three-ton steel door, and the security measures were quite strict.

Chen Guangliang said, "We're going to put 1380 safes here, which is only one-fifth of the number at the Shanghai Commercial and Savings Bank. It's still a little short!"

Xia Gaoxiang immediately replied, "All 6300 safe deposit boxes at the Shanghai Commercial and Savings Bank have been rented out. Ever since the September 918th and December 128th Incidents, safe deposit boxes in Shanghai have become extremely popular. The four major banks in Beijing are also planning to build an international building, and they will also have a large number of safe deposit boxes available. However, our Ping An Bank Building is small in size, and the vaults are small. Being able to use them ourselves or rent them out in small quantities is already very good!"

Chen Guangliang nodded. It was indeed incomparable to the big banks. For example, the Shanghai Commercial and Savings Bank had deposits of hundreds of millions, while Ping An Bank currently had deposits of only more than 1100 million, and many of them were "sponsored".

“I am still looking forward to the opening of this building.”

“Yes, this is the bank’s brand and reputation.”

The investment in the entire building is more than 85 oceans, which is not expensive, but it is also a guarantee of credibility.

After the tour, Chen Guangliang and everyone returned to the administrative department of Ping An Bank.

He thought about it. Currently, the deposits in Ping An Bank have increased to more than 1100 million yuan (Chen Guangliang personally has 110 million yuan, the four major companies have more than 100 million yuan, and industrial and commercial enterprises have deposited nearly 500 million yuan in return for his contribution). In fact, retail investors only have more than 400 million yuan.

But even so, it was much better than medium-sized banks such as Liu Hongsheng's Hua Xia Enterprise Bank (with deposits of only more than 3 million) and Du Yuesheng's Zhonghui Bank.

Ping An Bank is already one of the best mid-sized banks.

There are so many deposits, but lending also needs to be considered, otherwise where will the profit come from?
At present, Ping An Bank has purchased 400 million government bonds and lent out nearly 130 million. The loan-to-deposit ratio seems to have reached more than 45%, which is normal.

However, Chen Guangliang also deposited 508 million taels of silver in Ping An Bank as a backing, so a deposit-loan ratio of 80% to 90% is considered normal.

Speculating in silver?
There is absolutely no need for that, because the ocean is also silver and will appreciate in value.

Borrow US dollars?
This is naturally a personal investment matter. What is the bank doing by borrowing US dollars?
Finally, Chen Guangliang called Xia Gaoxiang and Ye Ximing to his office.

"Have you noticed recently that there's a situation in the financial world where loans are being made at a very loose rate. The highest interest rate is 1 cents, or about 7% per year. When it's lower, it's often considered free lending."

Xia Gaoxiang said, "Yes, so banks and investors are generally looking for ways to use their funds. Although government bonds haven't seen a significant increase right now, some people are starting to invest. Even though bonds have been restructured, with lower interest rates and smaller principal repayments, investors are still receiving substantial returns."

Chen Guangliang nodded and said, "We will increase our holdings of government bonds by another 8 million between August and September, and we will continue to issue loans as normal."

This time, the two stopped trying to persuade him because everything was going as the boss expected.

Ping An Bank currently has more than 1100 million in deposits, so even if it issues a loan (government bonds are also loans) of 900 million, it is understandable. After all, the boss himself said that he would use his more than 500 million in silver as a backing guarantee.

(End of this chapter)