Chapter 214: Rest Assured, They Will Give Me Face!
In the blink of an eye, two days passed quickly, and the calendar turned to March 5th.
At 3 p.m. on March 5th, a tense government land auction was underway at an auction hall in Wan Chai.
More than twenty real estate companies and consortiums participated in this auction.
The backgrounds of these groups were diverse, including powerful local Hong Kong companies, British and American giants, and even Southeast Asian consortiums.
The most striking aspect was that the Hong Kong government had put up eight parcels of government land for auction at once.
It was clear that the government intended to capitalize on the rising land prices to boost its revenues.
These parcels were all in prime locations, and each one was a coveted prize, leading to fierce bidding. In the end, half of the parcels sold for more than double their starting price.
In recent years, Hong Kong's real estate market had been exceptionally booming, with major real estate developers ramping up investments to grab a share of the pie.
The powerful entry of Southeast Asian consortiums further fueled the sharp rise in Hong Kong property prices.
The wealth of the Southeast Asian Chinese community was enormous, far surpassing that of local Hong Kong residents.
Countries like Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia had economies largely controlled by ethnic Chinese.
And now, these Chinese tycoons had all set their sights on the promising Hong Kong market.
Unlike the pessimistic British consortiums, they had greater confidence in Hong Kong's future.
It was easy to imagine the tremendous impact these Southeast Asian tycoons, with their vast wealth, would have on Hong Kong's real estate market!
Lin Haoran participated in this auction alongside Guo Henian, partly to broaden his horizons.
Indeed, at the venue, he saw many heavyweight real estate magnates.
Present were real estate tycoons like Li Jiacheng, Li Zhaoji, Zheng Yutong, Hu Yingxiang, and Chen Qizhong, known as Hong Kong's "Five Tigers of Real Estate," as well as the bosses of major companies like Eagle Army Group, Nan Fung Group, Tai Cheong Properties, and Sino Land.
Also attending were senior figures from Jardines Matheson and Swire Group.
Some came to bid individually, while others, like Lin Haoran and Guo Henian, formed consortiums to bid collaboratively.
Upon seeing Lin Haoran, everyone greeted him warmly.
After all, Lin Haoran's commercial strength now surpassed that of most people present.
Although he was young, no one dared to underestimate him — nor had the right to.
Moreover, everyone present were members of the Hong Kong Chinese General Chamber of Commerce.
Last month, with the assistance of Li Mingze, Lin Haoran had successfully joined the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce.
In honor of his joining, the Chamber held a special welcome ceremony, which was attended by nearly all members who were not away on business trips.
Lin Haoran's inclusion significantly elevated the overall strength of the Chamber, adding another heavyweight figure to its roster.
During the event, someone even proposed appointing Lin Haoran directly as a Vice President, a proposal immediately supported by major figures like Bao Yugang, Li Jiacheng, and Li Mingze.
Although the position of President was unique, there were multiple Vice President roles available.
For many, holding a senior post in the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce was an honor and an excellent opportunity to enhance their personal influence, and Lin Haoran's business capabilities easily qualified him for such a position.
However, Lin Haoran politely declined.
Citing his youth and respect for the many senior business figures present, he humbly expressed his intention.
For him, joining the Chamber was merely a natural step — he saw no need for titles or complicated duties.
Using a Vice President title to boost his influence? For Lin Haoran, it was unnecessary.
Besides, he had no intention of investing much time in Chamber activities.
In the end, respecting his wishes, Lin Haoran was appointed as a Supervisor — a relatively idle position with few responsibilities.
Given his current wealth and status, it would have been inappropriate for him to remain just a regular member.
Interestingly, after Lin Haoran refused the Vice President post, the group turned to offer it to his father, Lin Wanan, who happily accepted.
He didn't mind achieving the position through his son's influence.
At this auction, when the attendees learned that Lin Haoran was partnering with Southeast Asia's richest man, Guo Henian, to bid, they were all quite surprised.
However, they soon understood.
Many of them had previously cooperated, directly or indirectly, with Guo Henian and did not reject working with this Southeast Asian magnate.
In fact, many had considered expanding into Southeast Asia when encountering bottlenecks in Hong Kong's market.
Thus, the partnership between Lin Haoran and Guo Henian seemed perfectly natural to them.
The plot of land in Sheung Wan attracted bids from seven consortiums.
Ultimately, the land was sold for 406 million Hong Kong dollars to the team of Lin Haoran and Guo Henian.
The price slightly exceeded Guo Henian's earlier estimate, mainly due to the intense competition involving strong contenders like Zheng Yutong, Hu Yingxiang, Chen Qizhong, and others.
However, when the bidding rose past 400 million Hong Kong dollars, only Lin Haoran's team and Zheng Yutong remained.
Finally, when the price reached 406 million Hong Kong dollars, Zheng Yutong gave up.
At that moment, Lin Haoran and Guo Henian breathed a sigh of relief.
This was precisely the plot they had targeted — and they had obtained it.
Moreover, the final price was significantly lower than their maximum budget of 470 million Hong Kong dollars — excellent news.
The smooth bidding was largely thanks to the government's move to release eight plots at once, dispersing the competition.
Additionally, this Sheung Wan plot was auctioned early (second in order), giving them a favorable position.
Otherwise, winning at this price would have been much harder.
After the auction, the two happily went to the Wanan Group Building in Causeway Bay to finalize further cooperation details.
Since Guo Henian's main business, Kerry Group, was based in Tsim Sha Tsui, it was more convenient to meet here.
Eventually, they agreed on an initial investment of 500 million Hong Kong dollars: Lin Haoran would contribute 249.5 million, holding 49.9%, and Kerry Group would invest 250.5 million, holding 50.1%.
Thus, they had secured both the auction funds and the preliminary project investment.
For at least a year, Lin Haoran wouldn't need to inject more capital.
It was also decided that once the architectural designs were ready, Wanan Group would be responsible for the construction.
This was a major project, expected to bring Wanan Group tens of millions in construction profits, although it would take several years to complete.
Kerry Group would lead the project, and Wanan Group would handle the construction — a win-win arrangement.
On the morning of March 6th, while at home, Lin Haoran received an invitation letter from Guangdong Province.
The letter warmly invited him to visit and inspect Pengcheng and Yangcheng, with flexible timing. As long as he informed them in advance, they would arrange full reception.
Shortly after receiving the letter, Lin Haoran got a call from Bao Yugang.
"Haoran, have you thought about when to go to the mainland?" Bao Yugang asked as soon as the call connected.
"Uncle Bao, I'm fine anytime. It depends on your schedule," Lin Haoran replied.
He had no pressing matters at the moment, giving him great flexibility.
"In that case, how about tomorrow morning at eight?" Bao Yugang suggested directly.
"Sure, but you should confirm with Mr. Guo Henian. I'm fine with anything," Lin Haoran laughed.
It had already been agreed at the Lin family that Guo Henian would also join them.
"Don't worry, I've already discussed it with him. It's set!" Bao Yugang assured him.
"Alright, then tomorrow at eight," Lin Haoran confirmed.
"Good. Let's meet at Wharf Building in Tsim Sha Tsui and go through Lo Wu Border Control together. I'll call the Guangdong side now to arrange for reception," Bao Yugang said, clearly very familiar with the procedures.
Business magnates like him, who frequently visited the mainland, naturally knew all the processes well.
After hanging up, Bao Yugang went to handle his business, while Lin Haoran packed two sets of clothes into a bag and instructed Li Weiguo and Li Weidong to prepare for the trip.
This time, it would not be a one-day return trip; they would stay for several days.
Besides market inspection, Lin Haoran had two important missions:
First, to recruit strong retired soldiers.
Second, to arrange for the families of Li Weiguo and Li Weidong to come to Hong Kong, thus deepening their loyalty.
Upon hearing the news, both Li Weiguo and Li Weidong were excited yet slightly anxious.
"Boss, if we go back to the mainland, will the Public Security Bureau cause trouble for us?" Li Weidong asked worriedly.
"Don't worry. You're Hong Kong residents now. And besides, the mainland's penalties for illegal immigration have eased. Also, they will give me face!" Lin Haoran smiled reassuringly.
The mainland's primary aim in inviting Lin Haoran was to attract investment.
As for the fact that Li Weiguo and Li Weidong had once been illegal immigrants, it was a minor issue that would not affect things.
After all, Lin Haoran now controlled major enterprises like Hongkong Electric and Hong Kong and China Gas Company — his influence commanded serious respect.
"Also, during this trip, I'll arrange for your families to reunite with you in Hong Kong," Lin Haoran added warmly.
"Thank you, Boss!" Li Weiguo and Li Weidong exclaimed, their faces filled with joy.
Since coming to Hong Kong, their lives had completely transformed, reaching a standard they had never dared dream of before.
However, due to their illegal status, they had lost contact with their families for over a year.
Family had become their deepest longing.
Now, being able to reunite and bring their families to Hong Kong was a dream come true.
It was foreseeable that once their families were safely in Hong Kong, their loyalty to Lin Haoran would reach an unprecedented level!
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