Xie Sui had not yet come to Hong Kong at this time in his previous life. His career was not as successful as it was now. He had been fumbling in the dark back then, trying whatever business seemed profitable. It took him a full ten years to make a fortune after gaining experience and accumulating capital.
No one succeeds from the start. Reborn into this life, he skipped those ten years and rapidly accumulated wealth.
Later, when he became prosperous, he learned many things. What was the most sensational event of the 1980s? The stock market crash!
It was happening this year. Xie Sui remembered it was in October, two months away. If he missed it, it would be a waste of his rebirth.
He had twenty factories under his management, but most were just operational and not yet profitable. Early development required time.
However, he could get loans. This was something Hu Pan would have to handle.
The plan gradually took shape in his mind, and Xie Sui finally slept peacefully. Lin Wanwan, however, opened her eyes, looked at him, and nestled in his embrace, truly asleep this time.
Having gone through so much, Xie Sui's trust in her and his affection for their children had long made Lin Wanwan deeply in love with him.
A new day dawned. Xie Sui slept well and didn't rush to get up. A good night's sleep meant better spirits and higher efficiency.
The children woke up early and ate breakfast in their room. Xie Sui got up around nine, like a man with nothing to do. He kissed each of them, saying, "We're going shopping later, let's have some fun."
"Daddy, have the bad guys been chased away?"
Although the children were young, they were sensible and knew they had encountered trouble.
"They will be chased away, believe your Daddy."
"Yes, Daddy is the most powerful."
The children's adoring gazes filled Xie Sui with satisfaction. They were truly his sons!
Accompanied by bodyguards, the family went to the largest shopping mall and shopped extensively, like nouveau riche entering the city, finding everything fascinating.
They bought a whole cartload of items, including gifts for family, local specialties of Hong Kong, and toys for the children. Lin Wanwan bought many clothes, and Xie Sui also bought himself a couple of suits. After tidying his hair, he immediately exuded the aura of a major boss.
Lin Wanwan was reluctant to spend so much. Xie Sui told her to look around, "Clothes make the man. It's not about being snobbish, but dressing appropriately is a form of politeness, a basic way to integrate into society. Do you want people to look at you strangely?
Get your hair done tonight. When my wife is all dressed up, she'll be even more beautiful than those Hong Kong and Taiwanese stars."
Lin Wanwan pouted, "Don't compare me to those disreputable women. I'm angry."
Xie Sui surrendered, "I was wrong. Let's buy some cosmetics, and I'll teach you how to apply makeup."
"You know how?"
"Is there anything your husband doesn't know?"
In his past life, Xie Sui hadn't been a monk. He'd had many girlfriends, though none were deep relationships. He'd learned about women's fashion and makeup through observation.
As they walked out of the mall, the whole family looked transformed. The children, in overalls and white shirts, looked even more like young masters from wealthy families.
After returning them to the hotel, Xie Sui prepared to go out, reminding them not to leave and that meals would be delivered to the hotel. He would return as soon as possible.
He hired six more bodyguards and, with them, found Ah Nan, who was to receive him. Xie Sui asked, "Can you arrange meetings with any of the reputable families in Hong Kong? I'd like to have dinner with them and discuss cooperation."
Ah Nan replied, "My status isn't high enough. I can only arrange a meeting with a young master from the Du family, and not even a favored one. We can't even get close to influential families like the Li, Chen, or Huo families."
"The Du family? That's fine. The sooner, the better. I'll await your news. And one more thing, I want to open an account at the Securities and Futures Commission and play around with some stocks. Handle that for me too."
Ah Nan asked, "Mr. Xie knows about stocks?"
"A little. And my time has been limited. Given enough time, I can open a financial investment company and play seriously. This trip is just for a bit of fun, to earn some spending money."
Ah Nan didn't ask further. People from the mainland liked to play with stocks. They would understand the cruelty of stocks after losing all their fortune.
Xie Sui called from the front desk, transferring through several lines before finding Hu Pan. "Manager Hu, it's harder to find you than me, the boss."
Hu Pan's voice was hearty. She was no longer the timid little girl from their past romantic days. "Director Xie, thank you for remembering me. Tell me what you need quickly; I'm busy. You order me around like a workhorse and then go off to play. You're the black-hearted capitalist they talk about, aren't you?"
Xie Sui chuckled, "Let's talk business. Temporarily halt your current work and help me mortgage all the factories to raise sufficient funds, the more the better."
"Ah, you're short on cash? How much do you need?"
Xie Sui replied, "At least ten million."
"That much?"
Hu Pan swallowed. The money she handled daily was in the hundreds of thousands, and she thought it was a lot. But Xie Sui asked for ten million in one go.
"First, prepare one or two million for me. I'm discussing a big deal in Hong Kong and need capital for quick profits. When I return, it will at least double. I'll give you a bonus then, at least a hundred thousand. Miss Hu, this is your chance to get rich. Please work hard. If necessary, ask your father for help, and Secretary Tang. We're playing big this time."
Hu Pan wasn't concerned about the bonus; she had enough money. She just wanted to realize her value. "I'll try. But what if you lose so much money?"
Xie Sui assured her, "You don't have to worry, it won't happen. Get started quickly, the sooner the better."
Hu Pan had no choice but to agree. She calculated the value of the factories. Each factory needed at least a 500,000 loan, but loans had already been taken out previously, making this amount difficult. She would try her best.
The greatest wealth Hu Pan had accumulated recently wasn't money or factories, but connections. Leaders in over ten counties knew her name and welcomed her to invest and establish factories in their towns. Currently, most wealthy individuals were flocking south where money was easier to earn, and fewer people were setting up factories in the north.
Hu Pan, with Ye Feng, began her task of raising money. Once she had collected one million, she would transfer it to Xie Sui. Combined with the 500,000 he had brought with him, by that evening, Xie Sui had 1.5 million.
Ah Nan also brought good news: Young Master Du had agreed to meet him. They were to meet at a nightclub that evening.
Xie Sui had also inquired about Young Master Du's background. He wasn't a complete wastrel. The Du family had a mix of legitimate and illicit businesses, and their shipping operations were substantial. They ranked among the top ten in Hong Kong.