Chapter 1800: The VIP Room

The topic between Zhao Fusheng and Tan Kaixuan ultimately did not continue.

No way around it—the topic was too heavy.

So heavy that both of them were in a bad mood.

"You, bringing this up, have ruined my mood."

After a long while, Tan Kaixuan glared at Zhao Fusheng.

Zhao Fusheng looked utterly innocent: "You brought it up yourself. What does it have to do with me?"

"Forget it."

Tan Kaixuan said, "Since that's the case, I really need to make a new plan recently."

It seemed he had already had another plan before. Otherwise, he wouldn't have put money into the stock market.

But since he had now been reminded, it appeared he was going to change his approach.

"That's good too."

Zhao Fusheng said to Tan Kaixuan, "If you ask me, you must be careful not to invest all your funds. In the future, cash is king."

"Cash is king?"

Tan Kaixuan was taken aback, looking at Zhao Fusheng with some surprise.

Clearly, he didn't fully believe Zhao Fusheng's words.

Zhao Fusheng shrugged and didn't explain further. He had said what needed to be said; if this guy still didn't listen, it only meant he was destined to take such a big loss.

"By the way, I'll sell off the Wireless shares this afternoon."

Tan Kaixuan said to Zhao Fusheng, "Are you really not thinking of acquiring a TV station for fun?"

"What would I do with that?"

Zhao Fusheng looked speechless: "Besides, a TV station that's clearly on the decline doesn't interest me. If you like it, buy it yourself."

"Get lost!"

Tan Kaixuan blasted Zhao Fusheng without ceremony: "You have a film and television company and you won't buy it. What would I buy it for? Besides, I've looked at the data. Wireless has been declining more and more in recent years. You want me to buy it and lose money?"

Since he was going to speculate in the company's stock, he naturally had to gather company information. Tan Kaixuan's subordinates were far more professional than Zhao Fusheng's people. Their conclusion was that Wireless would inevitably fall into trouble within three years and begin to incur losses within five.

Although this was somewhat alarming, it was indeed a possibility.

"Hahaha..."

Zhao Fusheng burst into laughter but didn't provoke Tan Kaixuan further.

The motorcade arrived at the Victoria Hotel. Zhao Fusheng, Tan Kaixuan, and their party got out, returned to their rooms with their wives, rested briefly, and had lunch at the hotel at noon.

Fan Baobao and Tong Xiaoya had agreed to go shopping together in the car. After lunch, they went shopping accompanied by bodyguards and assistants.

As for Zhao Fusheng and Tan Kaixuan, they drove to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange hall.

"I say, is it necessary to be so formal?"

Zhao Fusheng asked Tan Kaixuan from inside the car.

"Of course."

Tan Kaixuan said with a smile, "This is my official first shot in Hong Kong, so it has to be loud."

"Huh?"

Zhao Fusheng was startled: "What are you going to do?"

"Naturally, I'm entering the Hong Kong stock market."

Tan Kaixuan replied matter-of-factly: "Since the future economic outlook is certainly bad, I might as well split my funds into two parts. One part will invest in emerging internet companies as venture capital. The other part, I plan to enter the financial markets—both Hong Kong stocks and European and American stocks—and only do short-term trading. What do you think?"

"..."

Zhao Fusheng was momentarily speechless. Looking at the smug Tan Kaixuan, he suddenly felt some sympathy for the tycoons of Hong Kong.

Tan Kaixuan was notoriously ruthless, fond of stirring up trouble on Wall Street, and now he had set his sights on Hong Kong stocks, planning to make waves there.

Under these circumstances, Zhao Fusheng had no choice but to wish the Hong Kong tycoons well.

After all, although these tycoons had weathered many storms and were seasoned businessmen, Tan Kaixuan was infamous in the stock market for having no scruples. Since he said he would do short-term trading, he was definitely going to play the sniper game.

Whichever company's stock caught his eye would be in for a wild ride, tormented to the point of ecstasy and agony.

This was a sad story.

Take Wireless, for example. The entire company was probably preparing to defend its stock, determined not to give up control of the company.

And the result?

The other party had long since made preparations, dusting off their hands and walking away.

When the time came to rush in and take over, aside from the retail investors in the stock market, there would only be the shareholders of Wireless.

"Alright, alright."

Zhao Fusheng nodded, then looked at Tan Kaixuan: "But you're just going to open a large trading account—why drag me along?"

That was the crux of the issue, wasn't it? Clearly he hadn't done anything, so how had he been dragged here by Tan Kaixuan?

"Hey hey, that's not right. Have you forgotten? Brother's investment includes your capital too." Tan Kaixuan widened his eyes and said to Zhao Fusheng.

Zhao Fusheng rolled his eyes: "Damn, my remaining shares aren't even two percent. Are you kidding me?"

This was the truth. Earlier, to raise funds, Zhao Fusheng had already sold his shares—something Tan Kaixuan had known all along.

"I don't care about that. Anyway, you're a shareholder."

Tan Kaixuan said to Zhao Fusheng with a calm expression.

Zhao Fusheng felt that he really ought to strangle this guy, otherwise it would be a complete waste of his time.

"Fine, fine, I'll go with you, okay?"

In the end, Zhao Fusheng obediently nodded and agreed. There was no helping it—Tan Kaixuan had that attitude of 'if you don't agree, I'll never let it go.'

This guy had had this habit since college.

Never stopping until he achieved his goal.

"Let's go. My people are already waiting there." Tan Kaixuan smiled and said to Zhao Fusheng.

Soon, the two of them arrived at the Hong Kong Stock Exchange by car.

The Hong Kong Stock Exchange held a very important position in the financial history of Hong Kong Island.

Back then, four major stock exchanges coexisted on Hong Kong Island. In the 1970s, the stock market heated up to a fever pitch. A large number of shell companies went public to fish in troubled waters, and everyone rode the wave to success.

Known as the 'Five Tigers of Real Estate,' Cheung Kong Holdings, Sun Hung Kai Properties, Hang Lung Properties, Hopewell Holdings, and Tai Cheung Properties all went public riding the bull market at that time, marking the recovery of the real estate industry with tremendous momentum.

Taking Li Ka-shing's Cheung Kong Holdings as an example, within just twenty-four hours of listing, its stock price more than doubled.

A batch of new real estate tycoons successively took the stage, displaying their adept skills, enclosing land and raising funds, their wealth growing geometrically, forming a generational rivalry with established British real estate companies like Hongkong Land.

How crazy was the Hong Kong stock market at that time?

The entire society revolved around stocks, spinning wildly, and its influence extended to all walks of life and all levels. Teachers and office workers resigned en masse to trade stocks full-time.

Even the elderly watchman and the housewife doing grocery shopping, seeing others 'eating shark fin with rice,' 'cooking congee with abalone,' 'making fish balls with humpback grouper,' or 'lighting cigarettes with five-hundred-dollar Hong Kong banknotes,' as if money were falling from the sky, could no longer restrain themselves. In a burst of fervor, they scrambled to throw their grocery money and funeral savings into the stock market.

At that time, there were more stock brokerage firms on Hong Kong Island than rice shops, lining the streets in clusters. As long as you rented a small shop in a back alley, set up two desks, a telephone, and a radio, you had a stock brokerage. Stock quotes from the radio were immediately written on a blackboard. Sometimes, to attract the attention of passersby, the blackboard was even placed on the roadside, with brokers shouting like vendors at a market. Surprisingly, business boomed, proving the old saying: 'When a typhoon blows, even pigs can fly.'

To trade stocks, everyone rushed to install telephones. In the central district, hundreds of stock firms had thousands of phones. Calling each other to discuss stock tips became a daily routine for ordinary households.

To cool the stock market, the Hong Kong government even had to dispatch firefighters to enforce fire safety regulations and ban investors from entering the Chinese Building to trade stocks. 'Firefighters putting out fires at the stock exchange' became a popular joke.

By 1974, counterfeit Hopewell Holdings stock certificates suddenly appeared on the market, causing panic among investors who feared their holdings would become worthless. Soon after, the Inland Revenue Department published notices in major newspapers stating that 'profits from stock trading are subject to profits tax,' further unsettling the public. Coupled with the shadow of the oil crisis looming over the globe, the economic environment deteriorated sharply, triggering a panic sell-off in the stock market.

Countless people saw their life savings vanish overnight. Those who had been eating shark fin with rice yesterday were sleeping on the streets today. Oil shortages, recession, price hikes, bankruptcies, and suicides became the most common words in newspapers.

Industry was one of the hardest-hit sectors, with factories collapsing like dominoes.

And almost the same scenario recurred on Hong Kong Island in 1987 and 1997.

In 1986, the four major stock exchanges on Hong Kong Island officially merged to form the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong.

Now, Zhao Fusheng and Tan Kaixuan stood at the entrance of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong.

"Boss."

A white man speaking Mandarin stood before Tan Kaixuan, his face full of respect.

Tan Kaixuan nodded lightly, but Zhao Fusheng was somewhat surprised.

"William, a Brit, has been on Hong Kong Island for nineteen years," Tan Kaixuan introduced to Zhao Fusheng.

Then he turned to William and said, "Zhao Fusheng, my friend, Chairman of Future Group."

"Hello!"

William, who had just been aloof and unapproachable, immediately did a complete about-face, extending his hand to Zhao Fusheng: "Mr. Zhao, hello. I have studied your investments."

"Ah?"

Zhao Fusheng was taken aback, somewhat surprised. He hadn't expected to run into a fan of his.

"Really?"

Tan Kaixuan, standing by, was also surprised, looking at William in astonishment: "You actually know him?"

"Boss, you must be joking. Future Investment is now an internationally renowned investment firm. Chairman Zhao's series of previous investments have all been successful, making him a benchmark in the investment world in recent years," William said, expressing sincere admiration for Zhao Fusheng.

Because of this, Zhao Fusheng found this foreigner much more agreeable.