Chapter 62: It Reaches HSBC Taipan Michael Sandberg
Over this period, under Su Zhixue's leadership, the team had achieved remarkable results. Every assignment had been completed with outstanding efficiency and excellence.
As a result, he earned a promotion and a salary increase. It was not only well deserved but also the best recognition of all the hard work he had put in.
"Thank you, Mr. Lin. Your trust and support are what keep me moving forward. I won't let you down!" Su Zhixue said excitedly, unable to hide his gratitude toward Lin Haoran.
Thinking back to just over a month ago, Su Zhixue had been nothing more than an ordinary trader working under the Wan'an Group. The burdens of life had once left him feeling utterly helpless.
Especially when his son had fallen seriously ill, the enormous cost of surgery had nearly driven him into despair.
Then Lin Haoran had appeared like a ray of light in the darkness. Not only had he helped pay for his son's successful operation, but he had also given his family a fresh start, allowing their lives to gradually return to normal.
Judging from his current income, Su Zhixue confidently believed that within the next year, he would be able to repay the HK$200,000 that Lin Haoran had generously lent him.
He would never forget such kindness, and it had become the driving force behind his dedication to work.
"Keep up the good work. I know you can do even better."
Lin Haoran lightly patted Su Zhixue on the shoulder and said nothing more.
A little after ten o'clock that morning, Lin Haoran received another phone call from Pao Yue-kong.
Pao informed him that the payment for the transfer of the Wharf Holdings shares had already been deposited into his HSBC account, and he could verify the balance at any time.
More than HK$110 million was no small amount.
Even Lin Haoran couldn't help but feel excited upon hearing the news.
Since Pao Yue-kong said the money had arrived, there was naturally no reason to doubt it. Still, Lin Haoran planned to visit the bank around noon to check in person.
Hengfeng Building wasn't far from HSBC's headquarters in Central anyway.
Meanwhile, with the trading team aggressively accumulating Qingzhou Yingni shares, and Li Ka-shing having already agreed to Pao Yue-kong to abandon his acquisition attempt, the pace of their purchases increased significantly.
Under Su Zhixue's careful planning and leadership, Qingzhou Yingni's stock suddenly became far more active. Buy and sell orders surged, and market activity rose noticeably.
Without interference from Li Ka-shing's team, their trading operations became much smoother.
If things continued at this pace, today's acquisitions of Qingzhou Yingni shares would undoubtedly be substantial.
Although Wharf Holdings no longer had anything to do with Lin Haoran starting today, he still kept a close eye on its performance.
The stock remained extremely active throughout the morning session, with heavy trading continuing nonstop.
However, since the market generally expected that neither Pao Yue-kong nor Jardine Matheson intended to push the share price above HK$75, the stock stabilized in the low HK$70 range.
Sell orders continued to pour into the market.
For many ordinary investors who had already been holding Wharf shares, a price of over HK$70 per share was already exceptionally high.
Seeing no signs of further gains, many decided to lock in their profits and sell their holdings.
In the blink of an eye, the morning trading session came to an end.
After grabbing a simple lunch at the office, Lin Haoran left the building accompanied by his two bodyguards and headed toward HSBC's Head Office Building, also located in Central.
Standing before the building, Lin Haoran looked up at the understated yet historically significant structure.
Construction had begun in October 1935. Rising thirteen stories and approximately seventy meters tall, it was HSBC's third-generation headquarters. Though it didn't dominate Central's skyline filled with towering skyscrapers, it possessed a quiet dignity and solemn grandeur of its own.
Its exterior might not have been particularly eye-catching, but its status in Hong Kong's financial world was absolutely unrivaled.
It was not only the leading institution in Hong Kong's banking industry but also a symbol of the dreams and ambitions of countless financial professionals.
In front of the building stood two imposing bronze lion statues.
More than simple decorations, they symbolized HSBC's role in safeguarding wealth and maintaining financial stability, earning them the reputation as the bank's treasured guardians.
Lin Haoran walked straight into the banking hall.
Perhaps because it was lunchtime, there weren't many customers inside, and only two service counters were open.
"Could you please help me check my account balance?"
He approached an empty counter, handed over his gold bank card, and smiled politely.
Bank cards in Hong Kong had begun to gain popularity during the 1970s, as the city rapidly emerged as one of Asia's leading financial centers.
As the dominant force in Hong Kong's banking sector, HSBC had naturally been among the first to issue premium bank cards to its high-end clientele.
The female teller's eyes immediately showed a trace of respect upon seeing the gold card, and her attitude became noticeably more courteous.
"Certainly, sir. Please wait a moment."
Several minutes later, she returned with an apologetic smile.
"I'm terribly sorry, sir. Due to my authorization level, I'm unable to access your account information. However, I've already contacted one of our senior relationship managers, who will assist you shortly."
"No problem. I'm not in a hurry."
Lin Haoran maintained his calm smile, appearing completely unbothered.
Soon afterward, a capable-looking middle-aged woman dressed in a tailored business suit quickly approached him.
"Mr. Lin, hello. I'm Huang Yulan, Senior Relationship Manager at HSBC. It's a pleasure to be of service. Please come with me—we can discuss everything in one of our VIP offices."
Inside the elegantly decorated VIP area on the first floor, Huang Yulan's service was even more attentive and meticulous than that of the regular tellers.
Her gentle manner of speaking and professional conduct made Lin Haoran feel exceptionally comfortable and respected.
At last, he checked his balance.
The more than HK$110 million transferred by Pao Yue-kong had indeed arrived in his account.
With the funds safely deposited, Lin Haoran could finally put his mind at ease.
Just as Lin Haoran was about to leave HSBC with his bodyguards, Huang Yulan suddenly hurried out of her office after ending an urgent phone call.
"Mr. Lin, if you don't mind, could you spare a moment?"
Her voice carried a hint of urgency while remaining perfectly polite.
Lin Haoran stopped and turned around, curiosity appearing on his face.
"Manager Huang, is there something else?"
"It's like this, Mr. Lin. Mr. Michael Sandberg, the taipan of HSBC, hopes to meet with you. Would you happen to have some time to spare?"
She explained that the invitation came directly from Mr. Sandberg himself after the phone call she had just received.
The unexpected invitation caught Lin Haoran somewhat by surprise.
"Mr. Sandberg?"
He quietly repeated the name to himself.
A moment later, realization dawned on him.
His account activity had clearly been reported to higher management.
For a financial institution, a customer with deposits exceeding HK$100 million was undoubtedly among its top-tier clients.
Moreover, the source of those funds was entirely legitimate, coming from the well-known Hong Kong business magnate Pao Yue-kong.
With that thought, everything suddenly made sense.
As HSBC's Taipan, Michael Sandberg would naturally take a keen interest in a client possessing such enormous wealth and strong business connections.
It was only reasonable that he would want to meet him personally and establish a relationship.
(End of Chapter)
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