Chapter 52: Global Shipping Takes the Initiative
The spacious bed was adorned with tiny crimson stains scattered across the pristine white sheets.
Nestled comfortably in Lin Haoran's embrace, Guan Jiahui wore a smile of contentment and happiness. For the first time in her life, she felt an overwhelming sense of security and warmth.
Once upon a time, her parents' divorce had cast a dark shadow over her childhood, leaving her lonely and starved of affection as she grew up.
Now, it was as though she had finally found the safe harbor her heart had been searching for.
For Lin Haoran, this weekend had been nothing short of blissful.
With a breathtaking beauty like Guan Jiahui by his side, her gentleness and thoughtfulness made him feel as though he were living in a paradise of tenderness, where every trace of exhaustion and pressure simply melted away.
However, when the first rays of Monday morning sunlight quietly slipped into the room, Lin Haoran knew it was time to return to work, while Guan Jiahui also had to go back to school.
Since it was still early, he first drove her to the entrance of her school before heading back to the company himself.
At nine o'clock sharp, every employee had returned to their posts.
After a relaxing weekend, everyone looked refreshed and full of energy.
They all admired their boss from the bottom of their hearts. Last week's achievements had been nothing short of spectacular, yet none of them dared claim any credit.
They knew perfectly well that although they were the traders executing the orders, they had merely followed the boss's instructions.
When the boss ordered them to buy, they bought.
When he told them to stop buying, they stopped immediately.
In truth, the work they performed was something that almost any experienced trader could accomplish.
Because of this, Su Zhixue and the others knew that they had contributed very little to the victory in the Wharf Holdings campaign.
They were fully aware of their own capabilities.
Even so, Lin Haoran had already promised that each of them would receive a bonus three times their normal amount this month as a reward.
He understood that in the business world, meaningful rewards were the key to inspiring enthusiasm and loyalty within a team.
Without tangible returns, it would be unrealistic to expect others to wholeheartedly generate profits for him while faithfully keeping his secrets.
"Today, our strategic focus remains on Qingzhou Yingni. As for Wharf Holdings, Dai Shi will monitor its movements independently. If anything unexpected happens, report it immediately. Everyone else should devote your full attention to accumulating Qingzhou Yingni shares. Our objective is to acquire as many shares as possible without driving up the stock price. As for when to buy or sell Wharf Holdings, I'll personally give the order when the time comes."
As usual, Lin Haoran held a brief but efficient meeting after everyone arrived at work.
In his view, as long as Wharf Holdings' share price remained stable and didn't decline significantly, there was no need for further intervention.
His plan was to find the best opportunity this week to make contact with Pao Yue-kong, while allowing the other party to take the initiative in proposing a purchase.
As for Qingzhou Yingni, the goal was simple—to seize a larger share of the stock instead of allowing Li Ka-shing's team to dominate the daily trading volume.
The more than eight million Hong Kong dollars in liquid funds currently at his disposal were sufficient to support their current level of purchase orders in the Qingzhou Yingni market for more than a week.
As long as they could sell part of their Wharf Holdings shares sometime during the week, a large amount of capital would flow back, providing ample ammunition for the next stage of his plans.
Not long after the meeting ended, Lin Haoran returned to his office.
Receptionist Zhao Lin soon entered with a freshly brewed pot of tea and poured it into his insulated cup.
Zhao Lin: [Loyalty: 80/100]
This was Zhao Lin's current loyalty rating.
The reason it had reached such a high level was because, shortly after joining the company, she had privately asked Lin Haoran for an advance equal to two months' salary. Her family was reportedly facing financial difficulties, and she hoped to improve their living conditions as soon as possible.
Without hesitation, Lin Haoran approved the advance.
In his view, this modest financial assistance was not only a way to help Zhao Lin through a difficult period but also an opportunity to gauge a person's character and loyalty.
He understood very well that when money was involved, people's choices often revealed their true nature and sense of responsibility.
Had Zhao Lin chosen to disappear or betray his trust, the financial loss would have been insignificant, yet it would have shown him exactly what kind of person she was.
To his surprise, not only did she live up to his expectations, but she also threw herself into her work with even greater enthusiasm and efficiency, proving her worth through her actions.
As a result, her loyalty rating had increased directly from 70, when she first signed her employment contract, to 80.
Through many small incidents like this, Lin Haoran had gradually become quite proficient in understanding and making use of the loyalty system.
Not long after Zhao Lin left the office, another knock sounded at the door.
"Come in."
"Boss, I have an urgent matter to report," Su Zhixue said as he strode quickly into the office.
"Just a few minutes ago, I received a phone call from one of the senior securities traders at the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. He said that representatives from Global Shipping Group are hoping to use the exchange as an intermediary to contact major market operators who have been actively trading Wharf Holdings shares."
"They wanted to ask whether we'd be interested in discussing some form of cooperation or negotiation. They've promised that if we're willing, they'll act as a bridge between both sides. If we're not interested, they'll politely decline on our behalf while keeping our identity completely confidential from Global Shipping Group."
Su Zhixue delivered the report in rapid succession.
In this era before computerized trading existed, these securities traders played an indispensable role in facilitating long-distance stock transactions, making market operations far more efficient.
Although they had no idea exactly how many Wharf Holdings shares Lin Haoran's team possessed, the team's frequent activity in the market had made it clear that they represented a force that could not be ignored.
Having become a participant in the financial industry himself, Lin Haoran quickly understood the implications.
He was secretly astonished.
Pao Yue-kong had actually begun reaching out to the major market operators.
This was undoubtedly part of a carefully planned strategy.
Lin Haoran wasn't worried that the exchange's traders would reveal their information on their own initiative.
If they did, they would be abusing their professional positions for personal gain, an illegal act that could result not only in heavy fines but also imprisonment.
"Pao Yue-kong... what an impressive move."
Lin Haoran couldn't help but admire him inwardly, gaining an even deeper appreciation for Pao Yue-kong's strategic foresight.
By quietly purchasing shares from major market operators on such a large scale, Pao Yue-kong would be able to build his holdings far more quickly than Jardine Matheson.
Recalling the historical fact that the Pao family ultimately succeeded in acquiring Wharf Holdings, Lin Haoran realized that, while HSBC's support had certainly been important, the Pao family's own strength was equally formidable.
Looking at it this way, the Pao family's eventual victory over Jardine had never been a matter of luck.
It had been the inevitable outcome of superior strength combined with meticulous strategy.
Excellent news.
Truly excellent news.
Until now, Lin Haoran had been considering how to cleverly maneuver the situation so that Pao Yue-kong would take the initiative to approach him about purchasing Wharf Holdings shares, allowing him to gain the upper hand before negotiations even began.
He understood that once the other party became the one seeking cooperation, he would possess greater leverage and far more bargaining power at the negotiating table.
Unexpectedly, the opportunity had arrived so quickly, saving him a great deal of planning and effort.
(End of Chapter)
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