Chapter 52: Global Shipping Takes the Initiative
On the spacious bed, faint red stains dotted the pristine white sheets.
Nestled in Lin Haoran's arms, Guan Jiahui wore a smile of contentment and happiness on her face. She felt an unprecedented sense of security and warmth.
There was a time when her parents' divorce cast a dark shadow over her heart, making her childhood lonely and starved for affection.
Now, it felt as if she had found a safe harbor in her life.
This weekend was, without a doubt, extremely relaxing for Lin Haoran.
With the stunningly beautiful Guan Jiahui at his side, her gentleness and attentiveness made Lin Haoran feel like he was immersed in a sea of tenderness, all fatigue and stress dissolving in that sweet moment.
However, as the first rays of Monday morning sunlight crept into the room, Lin Haoran knew it was time to return to his responsibilities, and Guan Jiahui had to head to school.
While it was still early, Lin Haoran first drove Guan Jiahui to the school gate before heading back to the company.
By 9:00 AM, all the employees had returned to their workstations.
After a weekend of rest, everyone was refreshed and full of energy.
They genuinely admired their boss. Last week's accomplishments had been too brilliant—and none of them dared take credit for it.
They all knew that while they were the ones executing the trades, they were simply following the boss's instructions.
When the boss said buy, they bought.
When the boss said stop, they stopped.
In truth, most traders could do the tasks they were assigned.
Thus, Su Zhixue and the others understood that they didn't deserve much of the credit for the Kowloon Warehouse campaign.
They were self-aware enough to know this.
Still, Lin Haoran had promised each of them triple bonuses this month as a form of encouragement.
He knew well that in the world of business, appropriate incentives are key to motivating a team's enthusiasm and loyalty.
After all, without meaningful rewards, it would be hard to expect others to fully commit themselves to generating profits and keeping secrets.
"This morning, our strategic focus remains on Tsing Chau Cement. As for Kowloon Warehouse, Dai Shi will be solely responsible for monitoring it. Any sudden developments must be reported immediately. Everyone else, concentrate fully on the Tsing Chau Cement market. Try to absorb as many shares as possible without pushing up the price. As for the timing of Kowloon Warehouse transactions, I'll give instructions at critical moments," Lin Haoran announced in a brief yet effective morning meeting.
In his view, if Kowloon Warehouse stock prices could remain stable, there was no need for major intervention. He planned to explore the best way to approach Bao Yugang within the week, aiming to passively draw him into initiating acquisition talks.
As for Tsing Chau Cement, the goal was to fight for more shares—he didn't want the Lee Ka-shing team to dominate daily trading volumes anymore.
The over 8 million HKD in liquid funds he had on hand would be enough to sustain operations in the Tsing Chau Cement market for over a week under current trading volumes.
As long as he could sell off some Kowloon Warehouse shares this week, he could recycle the funds and have ample ammunition for further maneuvers.
Not long after the meeting ended, Lin Haoran returned to his office.
Receptionist Zhao Lin quickly arrived to brew him a pot of tea, pouring it into a thermos mug.
Zhao Lin: [Loyalty: 80/100]
This was Zhao Lin's current loyalty score—high, because when she first joined the company, she had privately asked Lin Haoran for two months' salary in advance due to her family facing financial hardship.
Without hesitation, Lin Haoran approved it.
To him, this minor financial support was not just direct help during her time of need, but also a test of character and loyalty.
He understood well that in the face of money, a person's choices often reveal their true nature and sense of responsibility.
If Zhao Lin had chosen to disappear or betray him, then even such a small investment would have been worth it to see her true self.
Unexpectedly, she didn't let him down. On the contrary, she poured herself into her work with renewed enthusiasm and efficiency, proving her value through her actions.
As a result, her loyalty score had risen directly from 70 at the time of signing to 80.
Through such small events, Lin Haoran had gradually learned how to skillfully leverage the loyalty system.
Not long after Zhao Lin left the room, another knock came at the door.
"Come in."
"Boss, I have an urgent matter to report. Just a few minutes ago, I received a call from a senior trader at the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. He said a representative from Global Shipping Group wants to use them as intermediaries to contact us—the group of market makers actively trading Kowloon Warehouse stock. They're asking if we're open to some kind of cooperation or dialogue. They promised that if we are, they'll help establish a line of communication. If we're not, they'll politely decline on our behalf and ensure our information is kept confidential from Global Shipping Group," Su Zhixue reported briskly as he walked in.
These securities traders played an invaluable role in facilitating remote stock trades—especially in an era without computer-based trading. Their presence greatly streamlined operations.
While they didn't know how many shares of Kowloon Warehouse Lin Haoran's team held, their active presence in the market made it clear that this was a force to be reckoned with.
Lin Haoran, now a firm player in the financial world, quickly saw through the implications.
He was secretly surprised—Bao Yugang was already targeting these market players. This was clearly a meticulously planned move.
Still, Lin Haoran wasn't afraid that these traders would leak their information. Doing so would constitute illegal conduct—abusing their positions for personal gain—and would be punishable by fines or even prison.
"Bao Yugang, what a clever move!" Lin Haoran couldn't help but admire him internally, gaining a deeper appreciation of Bao's strategic prowess.
By quietly acquiring shares from major traders, Bao could rapidly outpace Jardine Matheson in the shareholding race.
Considering that, historically, the Bao family did succeed in acquiring Kowloon Warehouse—not just thanks to the support of Hui Fung Bank, but also because of their own formidable capabilities—it was no coincidence that they triumphed over Jardine Matheson. It was the inevitable result of strength and strategy.
Good news. This is truly great news.
Originally, Lin Haoran had been pondering how to maneuver Bao Yugang into coming to him with an offer for Kowloon Warehouse shares—so that he could maintain the upper hand in the upcoming negotiation.
Because he knew that once the other side came to him, he would hold the advantage at the negotiating table—with more leverage and bargaining chips.
To his surprise, the opportunity had arrived so quickly, saving him the effort of devising a complicated scheme.
(End of Chapter)