Chapter 21: How About Uncle Pao Tests You?
Hong Kong in early September remained wrapped in warm, pleasant weather—the perfect season for a swim in the sea.
The Deep Water Bay villa district, a secluded paradise hidden away from the bustling city, possessed a pristine stretch of natural white-sand beach.
Like a hidden sanctuary, this precious coastline was not open to the public.
Instead, it served as an exclusive retreat reserved solely for the privileged residents of the villa community.
Here, privilege was more than just a symbol of status.
It meant having the luxury of enjoying nature's tranquility in complete privacy.
Residents could take leisurely walks across the soft sand at sunrise or sunset, or dive into the crystal-clear sea to savor its refreshing coolness.
Such a lifestyle was undoubtedly one of the unique privileges enjoyed by Hong Kong's elite.
At that moment, Lin Haoran had just emerged leisurely from the azure waters.
The salty scent of the sea still lingered on his body, along with a trace of coolness.
Putting on a pair of sunglasses, he comfortably reclined on a beach chair, allowing the sea breeze to wash over him as a contented smile spread across his face.
Nearby, the Lin family's young Filipina maid—a graceful Chinese-Filipina woman—approached with a chilled bottle of Coca-Cola and respectfully handed it to him.
Lin Haoran accepted it, twisted off the cap, and with a crisp hiss, icy carbonation rushed into his mouth.
The refreshing sensation instantly swept away the lingering heat of summer.
Not far away, Li Weiguo and Li Weidong were clearly captivated by this luxurious experience.
They had probably never imagined that one day they would stand upon such a beautiful private beach, enjoying privileges reserved only for Hong Kong's upper class.
Since there was no urgent work demanding his attention, Lin Haoran chose to spend the day relaxing at the Deep Water Bay villa, savoring this rare moment of peace.
As for Huafeng Cement Factory, he had temporarily chosen to leave it alone.
He trusted the existing management team to maintain stable operations without his intervention.
Meanwhile, Lin One and the other three had already been transferred away from Huafeng Cement Factory under his father's orders.
Lin Haoran paid little attention to where they ended up afterward.
As far as he was concerned, they were nothing more than double agents loyal to Lin Haoning.
They weren't worth another thought.
Earlier that morning, Lin Haoran had called Yang Changdao at Yumin Finance Company.
The response he received was encouraging.
The expedited approval process was already underway.
Barring any unforeseen complications, the funds would arrive tomorrow.
Hearing this, Lin Haoran finally relaxed.
Once the HK$50 million reached his account...
He could truly begin making his move.
Even against Li Ka-shing, he would now dare to compete.
As Lin Haoran lay back with his eyes closed, enjoying the cool sea breeze, someone quietly approached without him noticing.
"Young man, whose son are you?"
"You look rather familiar."
A hearty, friendly voice reached his ears.
Lin Haoran slowly opened his eyes.
The sight before him caused him to pause in surprise.
Standing beside him was an elderly man dressed casually in beach shorts.
The familiar face immediately triggered his memories.
It was none other than the legendary Sir Pao Yue-kong—the world-renowned "King of Shipping."
Behind him stood a bodyguard wearing dark sunglasses, his stern expression adding even more presence to the business titan.
"Hello, Uncle Pao."
Lin Haoran immediately stood up to greet him.
"I'm Lin Wan'an's youngest son, Lin Haoran."
He knew that Sir Pao Yue-kong wasn't merely a legendary businessman.
He was also a respected elder.
Accordingly, his attitude was extremely polite and humble.
Upon hearing his introduction, Pao Yue-kong smiled warmly.
"Oh, so you're one of the Lin family's boys."
"No wonder you looked so familiar."
Although there weren't many households in the Deep Water Bay villa district, every resident was either immensely wealthy or highly influential.
Even if the neighbors didn't interact frequently, everyone knew one another by sight.
As chairman of Wan'an Group, Lin Wan'an naturally couldn't compare with someone of Pao Yue-kong's stature.
Nevertheless, he was far from an unknown figure, so Pao was quite familiar with him.
The Lin family had made its fortune long ago and had been living in Deep Water Bay for well over a decade.
Pao Yue-kong settled into a nearby beach chair.
As the sea breeze drifted over them, the two began chatting.
Lin Haoran himself hadn't expected that a simple swim at the beach would lead to meeting one of Hong Kong's greatest business legends.
"Haoran," Pao Yue-kong asked with a smile,
"Judging by your age, I'd assume you're still studying?"
"You're too kind, Uncle Pao."
Lin Haoran smiled and shook his head.
"I've already graduated from the University of London's Business School. I returned to Hong Kong about two months ago."
"Oh?"
"A graduate of the University of London's Business School?"
Pao Yue-kong's interest was immediately piqued.
"Then how about Uncle Pao gives you a little test?"
"Please, go ahead."
Lin Haoran answered confidently.
"You should know that I've become one of the Wharf Holdings' major shareholders."
"Tell me...
"Why do you think I wanted to acquire Wharf's shares?"
His curiosity only deepened.
Lin Haoran answered calmly.
"Uncle Pao built your empire through shipping and eventually earned the title of the World Shipping King.
"The fact that you've begun shifting your attention toward land-based businesses—and specifically a long-established British-owned company like Wharf—
"My guess is that you've already recognized the declining prospects of the shipping industry and have decided to redirect your investment strategy from the sea to land."
"And why," Pao Yue-kong asked with even greater interest,
"are you so pessimistic about the future of shipping?"
Lin Haoran answered unhurriedly.
"I was born into a business family.
"From a young age, I've been fascinated by commerce.
"That passion naturally led me to study business trends, market developments, and changes across different industries.
"I've spent considerable time analyzing the current state of the global economy.
"In recent years, the world economy has remained trapped in recession or, at best, experienced only sluggish recoveries.
"That has directly suppressed international trade, weakening the very foundation upon which global shipping depends.
"Uncle Pao...
"Do you still remember the 1973 oil crisis?
"Right now, Iran is in the midst of the Islamic Revolution.
"Since August, nationwide strikes and demonstrations have brought much of the country to a standstill.
"As one of the world's major oil exporters, if Iran's internal turmoil escalates into civil war, there's a real possibility that its oil exports could be disrupted.
"In my opinion, that has planted the seeds for a second global oil crisis.
"If another oil crisis erupts, crude oil prices will inevitably soar.
"The global economy will suffer another severe blow and sink into an even deeper recession.
"Not only would shipping companies face dramatically higher operating costs...
"Their already shrinking profit margins would be squeezed even further.
"But that's only part of the problem.
"If we look back to the shipping boom of the 1960s, enormous amounts of capital flooded into the industry.
"The result was excessive shipbuilding.
"Today, those surplus vessels remain on the market.
"With demand continuing to weaken, much of that shipping capacity simply can't be utilized efficiently.
"This has created a severe imbalance between supply and demand.
"As a consequence, competition in the freight market has become increasingly fierce.
"Shipping companies are forced to slash freight rates simply to maintain market share.
"That only further worsens the industry's operating environment.
"Taking all of these factors into consideration...
"I believe the global shipping industry is about to enter a prolonged period of decline."
His tone remained calm throughout, yet every sentence reflected careful analysis and remarkable foresight.
"Haoran..."
Pao Yue-kong couldn't hide his admiration.
"Your analysis is both insightful and remarkably mature.
"I never expected someone your age to possess such broad vision and such sharp business instincts.
"Lin Wan'an truly has an outstanding son.
"Your future is limitless."
His eyes were filled with genuine appreciation.
Just then, an assistant hurried over.
Standing beside Pao Yue-kong, he lowered his voice.
"Chairman Pao, there's an urgent phone call from your family.
"They've asked that you return the call immediately."
Pao Yue-kong sighed helplessly before smiling at Lin Haoran.
"I was hoping to enjoy a rare moment of peace by the sea.
"It seems that's not going to happen.
"Haoran, I'll have to leave now.
"When you have time, come visit my home.
"We'll have a proper chat."
Although they hadn't spoken for very long, Lin Haoran's calm demeanor and unique insights had already left a deep impression on the legendary shipping magnate.
"Take care, Uncle Pao."
Lin Haoran stood and politely saw him off.
After Pao Yue-kong had walked some distance away, Li Weiguo couldn't help asking,
"Young Master...
"Who was that old gentleman?
"He seemed quite extraordinary."
Lin Haoran smiled.
"Him?
"He's the famous World Shipping King."
Please keep reading! Please keep reading! Please keep reading! Many thanks!
(End of Chapter)
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