Chapter 1227: The Red-Top Merchant

For thousands of years, the Chinese perception of the merchant identity has undergone significant changes, especially after the founding of the nation. With various movements, up to the early days of reform and opening-up, many people held reservations about engaging in commerce, after all, speculation and profiteering, or taking the capitalist road, were quite serious offenses.

In Zhao Fusheng's memory, many successful businessmen during the late 1980s to early 1990s indeed pulled off many astonishing feats that still seem incredible today.

Someone, bragging on a train, impulsively traded domestically unsold canned goods for four airplanes from the chaotic Soviet Union, then sold them to an airline, netting tens of millions. Another, with keen insight, discovered that stocks could make money and began scalping subscription warrants. Some even printed 'grand prize' on soda can tabs to swindle people on trains. Not to mention the long-running scam of wealthy Hong Kong and Taiwan businessmen offering large sums for a child.

In that era, whether good or bad, people's minds were changing; they strove to make money, more money.

Thus, some abandoned their conscience and began to squeeze the blood and sweat money from the common people.

The most obvious example is the so-called tycoons in the real estate industry.

How much these people actually earned is unknown, but their greed is well known. After all, that big shot Ren, whose father was a deputy ministerial leader and who himself was in real estate, once said bluntly: 'Domestic housing prices are too low!'

Perhaps in his eyes, ordinary people should take out all their savings to buy houses—that would be the most proper thing to do.

Zhao Fusheng certainly wouldn't let his father become that kind of person.

In Zhao Fusheng's view, doing business requires a bottom line. To put it bluntly, you can pursue profit, because merchants are inherently profit-seekers, but you cannot abandon your bottom line and principles in the pursuit of profit.

"Dad, what do you think if we ensure a certain profit margin and keep housing prices within a reasonable range?" Zhao Fusheng looked at his father and said slowly.

Father Zhao frowned, ignoring Zhao Fusheng's words, and asked him instead: "The person you said you'd introduce to me—who is it?"

Clearly, that was what he cared about.

Zhao Fusheng shrugged, highlighted Xue Yuanfang's background, and added: "And Tan Kaixuan, he made a lot of money in the US and plans to invest back in China."

This was true: Xue Yuanfang had influence, Tan Kaixuan had money. If Father Zhao's Wanda Company could bring them on board, it would truly be like adding wings to a tiger. Moreover, with Xue Yuanfang's protection, Wanda would likely have no problems for at least decades. As for the future, Zhao Fusheng hadn't thought that far; maybe after making enough money, he'd take the family to immigrate to some small European island and live self-sufficiently.

"Little Tan, huh." Father Zhao nodded thoughtfully. He wasn't surprised that his son knew someone like Xue Yuanfang; after all, he had learned from various sources about the scale of the Future Group. Though reluctant to admit it, he had to say his son was more capable than himself—at least, he couldn't have built such a fortune from scratch.

"Yes, you know my relationship with him; there's no need to worry about any issues." Zhao Fusheng patiently said to his father: "The real estate market will definitely be a big cake in the future. With Xue Yuanfang around, we can avoid many unnecessary troubles. If you don't make this money, someone else will. If we do it, at least we can let homebuyers spend a little less unjustified money."

After much thought, he could only use such words to convince his father.

In fact, deep down, Zhao Fusheng knew that even if he set prices lower, not many would truly be grateful; they would only think the real estate company's boss was a fool for selling so cheap.

This is human nature's inherent flaw; no one can change it.

So sometimes, when doing things, you don't need to consider others' opinions, because doing so will severely damage your worldview and outlook on life.

Therefore, Zhao Fusheng didn't think too much; his principle was to be true to his own conscience. In short, as long as he was happy.

Father Zhao remained silent. Though unwilling to admit it, he had to concede that in terms of business acumen, he and his son were not on the same level. This was probably what they meant by 'comparison makes one miserable.'

"Fortunately, this is my son," Father Zhao consoled himself.

As a father, he was content because Zhao Fusheng was his son. No father wouldn't be proud of his son's achievements.

They say parents hope their children will become dragons. Father Zhao felt that way now, because Zhao Fusheng had already achieved what he had hoped for, even exceeding his imagination.

"Dad, what do you think?" Zhao Fusheng asked, seeing his father silent for so long.

Regardless, he could only offer suggestions; whether to accept them depended on his father's decision.

Father Zhao pondered for a long time, then looked at Zhao Fusheng: "How sure are you?"

Clearly, he was asking about the probability of success. After all, this was no small matter. Following Zhao Fusheng's approach would mean changing the entire company's development plan. In Father Zhao's understanding, this was like shifting from stability to aggression.

For Father Zhao, who always liked to plan before acting, this was no different from taking risks. After all, he wasn't as optimistic about the real estate market's prospects as Zhao Fusheng. In his view, leaving aside other places, Ninghai's current housing price of a thousand yuan per square meter couldn't rise much higher.

He didn't know that ten years later, Ninghai's average housing price would quintuple.

That's a sad story.

Especially for Zhao Fusheng in his previous life.

Of course, now he didn't need to worry about that. But Zhao Fusheng felt that with such a good opportunity, it would be a waste of the company's current scale and resources not to let his father participate.

They say 'good water should not irrigate others' fields.' Zhao Fusheng was determined to practice that.

"Dad, do you know how much housing prices in the capital have risen in the past two or three years?" Zhao Fusheng thought for a moment and decided to use the capital as an example: "Three years ago, the house I live in now—compared to today's prices, the difference is about two thousand per square meter."

"That much?" Father Zhao gasped, looking at Zhao Fusheng in surprise: "Are you kidding?"

He really hadn't expected housing prices in the capital to reach such a level.

Zhao Fusheng nodded: "And from what I see, it's not just the capital. Housing prices in first-tier cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou are all rising, and by no small margin. My company's strategic research office predicts that within the next five to ten years, the domestic real estate market will experience a very strong boom."

He had no choice but to attribute this 'credit' to those bookworms in the strategic planning research office.

Father Zhao also knew that the Future Group had a strategic planning research office, which was the company's think tank. On Zhao Fusheng's suggestion, he had originally planned to set up one in his own company, but couldn't find suitable candidates, so he hadn't gone that far.

"In that case, it seems we really need to lay out our plans in advance." After hearing Zhao Fusheng's words, Father Zhao thought it over and finally nodded.

He was no longer the ignorant man of the past; years of business experience had turned him into a seasoned player. So with a little hint from Zhao Fusheng, he understood that to get a share of the upcoming real estate boom, preparations had to be made ahead of time.

'Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated' is a saying from 'The Art of War.' From a certain perspective, it means not fighting a battle unprepared. The same goes for business; if you fail to plan ahead, fleeting opportunities will slip away, and the losses will be real money.

For Father Zhao, not making money when it was available was not his style.

Well, Zhao Fusheng felt that he definitely took after his father in that regard.