Chapter 010
Lu Ping’an’s initial intention was for Lu Mingzhu to invest in Uncle Wang Hui’s property development company under her own name, but how could Lu Mingzhu take advantage of a child?
I don’t have the face for it.
200,000 is no small sum; it’s a fortune capable of buying a luxury mansion in Hong Kong.
Thus, she firmly declared that the aunt and nephew would jointly invest 1.2 million, with her holding a 40% stake and Lu Ping’an a 10% stake.
Lu Ping’an was about to decline again, but Lu Mingzhu said, “Even if people say that even close brothers should keep their accounts clear, it doesn’t mean every single thing must be settled with absolute precision. I am your aunt; you must listen to me.”
The words on Lu Ping’an’s lips faded away. His eyes grew moist, and his voice softened. “Thank you, Aunt.”
“Good child.” Lu Mingzhu felt deeply gratified.
In her eyes, shaped by life experiences before her transmigration, Lu Ping’an was truly just a child—an overly precocious one.
He spoke little and was shy by nature, yet remarkably decisive.
Seeing their genuine commitment to invest, Uncle Wang Bohui wavered considerably.
His father back in the mainland had sent word through Steward Li that funds were desperately needed there; he was instructed to remit money, preferably in foreign currency, and to purchase as many strategic materials as possible for shipment to Northeast China. Meanwhile, Lu Mingzhu’s idea of selling properties in phases indeed promised profits.
Last night, Xie Junyao called him, saying he had already consulted a lawyer and visited the Lands Office, confirming that the phased sales model was feasible and violated no laws or regulations.
If funds remain insufficient after the three-party collaboration, a bank loan can be secured; Xie Junyao’s elder brother, Xie Junhao, is both a major shareholder and executive director of Yongfeng Bank.
To pull off something big, cooperation is essential.
Win-win through collaboration.
After a moment’s reflection and confirming both parties’ intentions once more, Wang Bohui directly led them to the company.
The company is named Guanghui Real Estate Company.
“Hui” means brilliance or radiance.
Brilliant and resplendent.
Uncle Wang Bohui instructed the accountant to present the company’s financial records for Lu Mingzhu and Lu Ping’an to review. Prior to this, he had inquired about their background and learned that Lu Ping’an had frequently accompanied Mrs. Lu on financial audits several years ago and was quite knowledgeable in such matters.
Since they were entering into a business partnership, mutual honesty was essential.
Lu Mingzhu possessed a decisive and efficient nature, and Wang Bohui, equally straightforward, naturally preferred to settle matters swiftly.
Although deeply grateful for the assistance rendered by Wang Xingcai and his son, they ensured that every necessary procedure was meticulously followed. Consequently, Lu Mingzhu and Lu Ping’an accompanied Wang Bohui from dawn till dusk over the following days to complete the financial audit. They confirmed that Guanghui Real Estate Company held net assets slightly exceeding 1.2 million, with no outstanding liabilities at present.
Then, Uncle Wang called to summon the witnesses and Nie Hongkun, the star barrister from the law firm.
Xie Junyao was one of them; the other two were highly esteemed tycoons in Hong Kong’s business community.
One was named Chen Hai, also a fellow townsman, who owned a large textile factory. The original Lu Mingzhu knew him well, having been middle school classmates with his daughter, Chen Jianing, and the two families had frequently visited each other.
The other was Li Shize, a man in his fifties, very tall and extremely obese, his weight distorting his features. The original Lu Mingzhu found him somewhat unfamiliar, but according to Uncle Wang’s introduction, he was engaged in import-export trade, held a prominent position in the Shanghai Fellow Townsmen Association, and was known for his seasoned expertise. Many wealthy merchants who had come from Shanghai held him in high regard.
Most importantly, he is the cousin of Lu Mingzhu’s mother, so Lu Mingzhu must address him as her maternal uncle.
“Maternal uncle?” Lu Mingzhu was truly astonished.
Do wealthy people always have such intricate connections?
She remembered Wang Xingcai mentioning that her predecessor’s beloved godmother was also in Hong Kong, running a film company; she must find time to visit her!
Not leveraging one’s connections is something only a fool would do.
Lu Mingzhu was no fool; to establish herself in Hong Kong, she naturally needed to leverage existing advantages.
Li Shize, however, was delighted to see Lu Mingzhu, grinning so broadly that his gums showed, resembling a Maitreya Buddha. “If Bohui hadn’t invited me to be a witness, I would never have known you and Ping’an had come to Hong Kong. Mingzhu, let me give you my address and phone number. Feel free to seek me out whenever you need anything, and even when you don’t, do come visit often. I’ll have the servants stew bird’s nest and fish maw for you; they’re excellent for beauty and nourishing the skin.”
Lu Mingzhu accepted the business card he handed over, her face beaming with a smile. “Thank you for your concern, Cousin Uncle.”
During their reminiscing, upon learning the reasons behind her and Lu Ping’an’s arrival in Hong Kong, Li Shize immediately launched into a hundred curses against Lu’s father!
He and Mrs. Lu had shared a close bond as siblings; in the past, his business ventures had relied heavily on her support. It was only after he moved his entire family to Hong Kong that they lost contact. Now, seeing Lu Mingzhu and learning of Mrs. Lu’s passing, he was overwhelmed with emotion.
Given this connection, he examined the contract with exceptional care.
Wang Xingcai and his son Wang Bohui enjoyed an excellent reputation in the business world; everyone who had worked with them praised their integrity. Their contracts contained no questionable clauses, and they never set traps simply because Lu Mingzhu and Lu Ping’an were young.
Lu Mingzhu was not the carefree original soul she appeared to be; drawing on her experiences from before her transmigration, she understood certain intricacies of the trade.
The contract explicitly stated that both she and Lu Ping’an were entitled to all rights due to shareholders, extending beyond mere dividend distributions.
Finding no issues, she first signed her own contract, then executed Lu Ping’an’s agreement in her capacity as his guardian, completing the monetary exchange face-to-face.
At today’s exchange rate, 33,000 British pounds and 112,000 US dollars could be converted into 1,167,520 Hong Kong dollars; of this amount, 32,000 US dollars were contributed by Lu Ping’an at her request, with the remainder made up by her.
Xie Junyao seized the opportunity to sign a cooperation agreement with Guanghui Real Estate Company.
Guanghui Real Estate Company contributed 2 million HKD, while his Gaofeng Real Estate Company contributed 3 million HKD, jointly establishing Shengfeng Real Estate Company. The former held a 40% stake, and the latter a 60% stake. Xie Junyao served as chairman, taking full responsibility for the company’s operations, with Wang Bohui assisting him and also serving as an executive director of the company.
After Wang Bohui and Xie Junyao shook hands, Lu Mingzhu also shook hands with him, saying happily, “Mr. Xie, it’s a pleasure to cooperate with you.”
“I hope Miss Lu will offer us your guidance in the future,” Xie Junyao replied, his eyes gentle and his demeanor refined and courteous.
Suddenly noticing that Lu Mingzhu was dressed with unusual simplicity today, her complexion dull and her features slightly altered, making her appear rather ordinary; yet her eyes remained bright and clear, shimmering with life, still rendering her remarkably beautiful compared to most people.
Xie Junyao couldn’t help but glance at her a few more times.
Lu Mingzhu noticed his gaze, tilted her head slightly, a hint of amusement dancing in her eyes. “What is Mr. Xie looking at?”
Caught red-handed, Xie Junyao remained perfectly composed. “I am delighted to have reached an agreement with Miss Lu, yet certain details remain unclear to me. Tomorrow, I would like to invite Miss Lu to dinner privately, hoping to seek your guidance on these matters. Would you do me the honor of accepting my invitation?”
“It would be my utmost pleasure.” When a handsome man invites you to dinner, how could one possibly refuse?
Faced with such a handsome face, one could definitely eat an extra bowl of rice.
Xie Junyao’s lips curled upward, making him look even more dashing and charming. “It’s settled then; tomorrow at noon, I’ll come to Mr. Wang’s house to pick you up.”
Lu Mingzhu nodded in agreement, then turned to Wang Bohui and said, “Big Brother, please continue your conversation; Ping’an and I will head back first!”
She knew nothing about company management and had no intention of learning, finding it too exhausting and preferring to take it easy. However, glancing over and seeing that Lu Ping’an seemed quite interested, always leaning in to listen to the conversations between Wang Bohui, Chen Hai, Li Shize, and the others, Lu Mingzhu quickly changed her tune: “I’ll go back alone; let Ping’an stay here to learn a thing or two from all you esteemed seniors.”
Wang Bohui, however, said, “Don’t rush off just yet. Let’s share a meal first, and then I’ll send someone to escort you home.”
Inviting three close friends who were also business partners to serve as witnesses made hosting this banquet essential.
The venue was a grand restaurant nearby, where an exquisite feast had been ordered, featuring carefully prepared delicacies such as crab roe with shark fin, rock sugar bird’s nest, braised abalone, prawn balls, crispy-skinned chicken, sliced conch, and roasted squab.
Glasses clinked as they toasted back and forth.
Lu Mingzhu didn’t drink, nor did Ping’an; instead, she politely poured wine for everyone.
When she stepped outside under the pretext of getting some fresh air, Lu Mingzhu settled the bill.
The total for both food and drinks came to 155 yuan.
She handed over 200 Hong Kong dollars, and the vendor gave her 45 yuan in change.
Xie Junyao emerged and, upon witnessing the scene, regretted having come out too late. “Miss Lu acted too swiftly; you should have allowed us gentlemen the opportunity to display our chivalry.”
Lu Mingzhu replied with a smile, “In this new era, men and women are equal. Who says only men must pay the bill?”
She had never been one to take advantage of others.
As they spoke, Wang Bohui and the others, having eaten and drunk their fill, descended the stairs one after another. Upon learning that Lu Mingzhu had already settled the bill, Li Shize, Chen Hai, and Nie Hongkun all smiled, saying she had spent too much on them and that they would treat her in return at the next opportunity.
When leaving the restaurant, Lu Mingzhu had slightly over 3,000 yuan remaining on her person—her only cash left.
After seeing off several distinguished guests, Wang Bohui arranged for a car to take Lu Mingzhu home, but she declined.
“Big Brother, you head back to the company with Ping’an; I’m going shopping.” Since arriving in Hong Kong, she had been fully occupied with this business deal. Now that everything was finally settled, Lu Mingzhu felt it was time to start planning for the future.
This investment would not yield returns for a long time; first, she needed to raise funds to secure a place to stay.
At the same time, get to know the local customs and culture of Hong Kong.
Uncle Wang Hui disagreed, “Letting you—
a young girl—wander the streets alone? No, absolutely not; I can’t allow it. I’ll have the driver take you to the trading company; once you’ve finished shopping, come straight home. As I told you before, Hong Kong is quite chaotic; alleys and streets are often frequented by ill-intentioned hooligans. This isn’t alarmism on my part, Mingzhu—you must listen.”
“Big Brother, there’s no need to be so cautious. I’ll just stroll around nearby and won’t go far. When I get tired, I’ll come back and wait with Ping’an until you finish work.” Lu Mingzhu patted her handbag. “I’m well prepared, and my appearance is inconspicuous enough; I won’t cause any trouble!”
Wang Bohui pondered for a few seconds. “Ask Ping’an to accompany you. He can come to the company anytime he wants to learn about business.”
Lu Ping’an nodded hurriedly. “Auntie, let’s follow Uncle’s advice.”
“Very well.” Faced with her family’s concern, Lu Mingzhu had no choice but to compromise.
Previously, while living at the Wang residence, she traveled by car along main thoroughfares, seeing only the glamorous side of life. Now, walking through these narrower alleys, she realized that compared to Shanghai—which already seemed less prosperous in her eyes—Hong Kong fell short by an immense margin.
The shops on both sides were small and rudimentary, clearly backward.
There were many impoverished people walking about, dressed in tattered clothes; quite a few citizens carried loads barefoot on shoulder poles, selling fruit along the streets.
No wonder Wang Xingcai and Butler Li both claimed that Hong Kong was backward; it truly seemed impoverished.
After wandering for a while, Lu Mingzhu spotted a slightly larger jewelry store on her left. It was a three-story building, with wooden signs at the entrance reading “Buying Gold, Silver, Diamonds, and Gemstones” and “Foreign Exchange.”
Her eyes flickered with an idea, and she stepped inside.