OBS Chapter 1353 1993
Chapter 1353 1993
Just as Qin Hao finished packing his luggage and was preparing to take Song Yunping to the United States, a series of hurried footsteps came from outside the courtyard gate. Lei Dongbao, carrying two large bags of bulging local specialties and covered in sweat, rushed in.
The bag contained dried bamboo shoots, smoked meat, free-range eggs, and several jars of wild honey, which I don't know where they got them from. It was quite thoughtful of them.
"Haozi! You've finally caught up!" Lei Dongbao put the bag on the table, wiped the sweat from his face, and said excitedly, "Thanks to your idea last time, I presented the evidence of those corrupt officials and the company's loss data to Secretary Chen, and he immediately panicked. He sent people to investigate that very day, and within a few days, they had all dealt with those people—those who should be dismissed were dismissed, and those who should be held accountable were held accountable. Now, the Lei family is finally at peace!"
He picked up the water glass on the table, gulped down more than half of it, and then said, "Now I can finally roll up my sleeves and get to work! These things were sent to me by the villagers to thank you for helping Xiaolei family through their difficulties. They're not worth much, just a small token of my appreciation, so please don't mind them."
Looking at Lei Dongbao's triumphant appearance, Qin Hao couldn't help but laugh: "Alright, stop using the villagers as an excuse. I know you too well. You probably picked all these things yourself."
He paused, his tone becoming serious: "By the way, Pingping is going to America with me this time, and Xiaohui is busy with the chemical plant in Donghai, so it's just my parents at home. I'll need your help looking after them from now on. If there's anything urgent, call me immediately."
"Don't worry!" Lei Dongbao patted his chest and assured them, his tone firm and resolute: "Your uncle and aunt are like my own parents, I will definitely take good care of them!"
……
In the spring of 1991, the Christmas atmosphere had not yet completely dissipated, and the streets of New York were still covered with a thick layer of snow. The sunlight shone on the snow and reflected a dazzling light.
The Christmas trees along the roadside hadn't been taken down yet, still adorned with colorful lights and decorations. Occasionally, pedestrians wearing thick coats would hurry by, exhaling white puffs of smoke.
Song Yunping has been in the United States for six months. She was a middle school English teacher in China and already had a solid foundation in English. After arriving in the United States, she attended a language school for a month to practice her speaking and listening skills with a foreign teacher. Now she has no problem communicating with people.
She goes to the nearby supermarket to buy groceries every day, greets her neighbors, and occasionally goes to the community library to read books. Her life is fulfilling and regular.
Of course, Song Yunping did not forget the main purpose of her trip to the United States—in addition to taking care of Qin Hao's daily life, preparing delicious Chinese meals for him, and helping him with household chores, the most important thing was to take care of her health and prepare for pregnancy.
As long as it wasn't her period and Qin Hao wasn't working all night, the two of them would "try" to stay up until the wee hours almost every day. Qin Hao also turned down many unnecessary social engagements and tried to go home early to be with her. Their efforts paid off; a week before Christmas, Song Yunping went to the hospital for a checkup, and the doctor told her she was over a month pregnant.
According to Chinese folk customs, the first three months of pregnancy are unstable, and it is not advisable to reveal the news too early. Qin Hao and Song Yunping decided not to tell their parents in China for the time being, and to give them a surprise after the fetus has stabilized in three months.
That morning, the weather in New York was exceptionally clear. Song Yunping, dressed in loose maternity clothes, leaned against the warm fireplace in the living room, holding a children's storybook, and softly gave prenatal education to the baby in her belly.
The flickering flames in the fireplace illuminated her gentle smile. Just then, Qin Hao's mobile phone, which was on the coffee table, suddenly rang, breaking the silence of the room.
Qin Hao strode over to answer the phone, his initially relaxed expression gradually turning serious, his brows furrowing tightly. Seeing this, Song Yunping's heart skipped a beat. She put down her book and went over, asking worriedly, "What's wrong? You look so pale. Did something happen at home?"
Qin Hao hung up the phone, reached out and held his wife's hand. The warmth of her palm reassured Song Yunping slightly. He said softly, "Pingping, don't worry. It was Dongbao who called. Dad suddenly had a stroke and collapsed at home this morning. Dongbao has already taken him to the county hospital. The doctor said he's not in immediate danger, but he needs to be hospitalized for observation. I've already asked Dongbao to contact Xiaohui. Once Dad's condition stabilizes, we'll transfer him to a big hospital in Shanghai, where the medical conditions are much better."
“Dad… how could he suddenly have a stroke?” Song Yunping’s tears welled up instantly, her voice choked with sobs: “My mom is home alone, she must be terrified… No, I have to go back, I have to go back and be with them!”
She cherished her family the most, and upon hearing that her father was in trouble, she immediately lost her composure, grabbed Qin Hao's arm, and eagerly wanted to leave immediately.
Qin Hao quickly helped her sit down and gently patted her back to comfort her: "Pingping, calm down. I know you're worried about Mom and Dad, but you're pregnant now, you can't panic like this. I've already asked my secretary to book the earliest flight back to China, and we can leave today. Besides, Xiaohui has already received a call and is on his way home from Donghai. He'll go to the hospital to be with Mom and Dad first."
“Xiao Hui is here… It’s good that Xiao Hui is here…” Song Yunping’s emotions stabilized a little when she heard that her younger brother would be going back, but tears still streamed down her face. “It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t come to America with you and had stayed home with Mom and Dad, maybe Dad wouldn’t have had this accident…”
"Don't say that, it's not your fault." Qin Hao wiped away her tears. "Let's pack our things now and go back to China as soon as possible. Mom and Dad will be alright."
Two days later, the plane carrying Qin Hao and Song Yunping landed at Shanghai Airport.
Song Yunping, disregarding jet lag and travel fatigue, urged Qin Hao to rush to the hospital as soon as they left the airport.
When they arrived at the hospital in Shanghai, Song Yunhui was already waiting outside the ward. Upon seeing them, he quickly came up to them: "Sister, brother-in-law, you've arrived. Dad's condition has stabilized. The doctor said there are no aftereffects, he just needs to rest well."
Song Yunping rushed into the ward and saw her father lying on the bed. Although his face was pale, his spirits were not bad. Her mother was sitting by the bed, her eyes were red and swollen but she had a relieved smile. Her heart finally settled down.
She walked to the bedside, took her father's hand, and whispered, "Dad, I'm back. How are you feeling?"
Mr. Song smiled weakly: "It's alright, Dad's fine. I'm sorry to have worried you."
"Dad, please don't say that. I am your daughter, and it is only right that I come back to be with you."
Song Yunping couldn't help but shed tears again, but she smiled with relief.
Two weeks later, Song's father was discharged from the hospital. Qin Hao originally planned to let his parents stay in Shanghai for the convenience of their subsequent rehabilitation treatment. However, Song's father shook his head and said, "Shanghai is nice, but I'm not used to living here. It's more comfortable at home. The doctor also said that the subsequent rehabilitation treatment doesn't require high technical skills and can be done at the county hospital. Let's go back to Shanbei Brigade."
Seeing her father's insistence and considering that she was pregnant and it would be inconvenient for her to stay in an unfamiliar place for a long time, Song Yunping agreed to her father's suggestion.
After returning to Shanbei Brigade, Song Yunping insisted on staying at home to take care of her parents. Firstly, she was worried about her father's recovery, and secondly, her mother couldn't manage on her own.
In addition, she was already more than three months pregnant, and long-distance flights were not good for the fetus. Moreover, these two years were a critical period for Haoran International to expand its overseas market, so Qin Hao really could not stay in China for an extended period of time.
Left with no other choice, Qin Hao had to return to the United States alone. Before leaving, he repeatedly told Lei Dongbao and Song Yunhui to take good care of the family.
……
Two years passed in the blink of an eye, and it was summer of 1993.
On an ordinary morning, newsstands on the streets of New York were packed with people—the latest issue of Time magazine featured a full-page photo: Qin Hao, dressed in a sharp suit, stood in front of the bell tower of the New York Stock Exchange, holding the bell hammer, with a calm smile on his face, and behind him was the logo of "Haoran International" and cheering company executives.
Almost simultaneously, news of Haoran International's listing in the US spread rapidly around the world through various media such as television, radio, and newspapers.
Although Brilliance Auto successfully listed on the US stock market last year, its performance is vastly different from that of Haoran International. After years of development, Haoran International's annual sales have reached nearly 100 billion US dollars, of which the "Little Panda" series of small home appliances has made a significant contribution.
This small appliance, designed for European and American families, has quickly captured the European and American markets thanks to its advantages of being lightweight, energy-saving, and cost-effective. From water purifiers and bread makers to small vacuum cleaners, the "Little Panda" can be seen in almost every European and American household.
When the news reached Hong Kong, shares of "Haoran International" on the Hong Kong stock market were instantly ignited. Within just one hour of opening, the share price surged by thirteen points, setting a new record for the day's gain in Hong Kong stocks. Haoran International's market capitalization in Hong Kong also broke through HK$100 billion, making it one of the most sought-after Chinese companies on the Hong Kong stock market.
Domestic media outlets also reported and reprinted the story. Although Haoran International is officially registered as a Hong Kong-funded enterprise, everyone knows that Hong Kong will return to the motherland in four years, and then we will all be one family.
Moreover, Qin Hao is a true Chinese citizen who only obtained Hong Kong residency for business purposes, which does not affect people's perception of him as a "Chinese entrepreneur."
Even more surprisingly, state media unusually described Qin Hao as an "outstanding entrepreneur," and reported on his achievements in boosting the export of domestic home appliances and solving the employment problems of laid-off workers, giving him considerable prestige.
Of course, some astute media outlets also noticed another detail—the company that helped Haoran International successfully list on the US stock market was an investment firm called "Sishen Capital".
Although "Sishen Capital" has not been established for long and there is very little publicly available information, some media outlets have found a breakthrough in the name "Sishen".
"The successful listing of two Chinese companies on the US stock market through collaboration raises the question: does this 'Chinese company + Chinese investment bank' model mean that it is sustainable? Will more Chinese companies follow suit in the future, raising funds on the US stock market and stepping onto the international stage?"
Such discussions quickly became a hot topic in the financial world, and "Sishen Capital" also became very popular. Every day, many companies would take the initiative to approach them, hoping to cooperate in listing.
Despite the media frenzy and corporate invitations, Qin Hao and Liang Sichen chose to remain low-key. They declined all interviews and did not rush to expand their business, instead waiting for the hype to die down and focusing on the subsequent operation of Haoran International and the internal development of "Sichen Capital".
That noon, Qin Hao and Liang Sichen were having lunch in a private room at an unassuming Cantonese restaurant in New York's Chinatown.
The private room had no fancy decorations, only a simple round table and a few chairs. On the table were steamed fish, blanched bok choy, and roast goose, all authentic Cantonese home-style dishes.
Liang Sichen had only taken a few bites when her cell phone, which was on the table, rang. She glanced at the caller ID, frowned, answered the phone, said a few words, and hung up. She casually tossed the phone into her backpack, picked up her chopsticks, and began to devour the roast goose, her tone full of annoyance: "So annoying! I can't even eat in peace!"
Qin Hao put down his chopsticks and asked with a smile, "Who called you this time? It's not some business owner who wants to partner with you to go public, is it?"
Liang Sichen swallowed the food in her mouth and said irritably, "It's Liang Fan! For the past two weeks, he's been calling me every few days, saying that he's acquired a batch of domestic factories and wants me to help him get them listed on the US stock market."
Qin Hao raised an eyebrow and asked curiously, "Liang Fan? Which companies has he acquired? And on what scale?"
"What scale? They're all small factories I've never even heard of, some don't even have complete production licenses!" Liang Sichen rolled her eyes, her tone full of disdain. "I had my dad inquire for me, and those so-called 'factories' are all on the verge of bankruptcy, with more debt than assets. This guy just wants to take advantage of the hype surrounding Haoran International's IPO to package himself up and swindle money from foreign investors. Does he really think they're fools?"
"This Liang Fan really manages to redefine my perception of him every time. He's never changed my preconceived notions about him," Qin Hao couldn't help but tease. He had long known that Liang Fan was eager for quick success and instant benefits, but he never expected that Liang Fan would dare to scheme against him on such an important matter as going public.
"Who says otherwise!" Liang Sichen angrily forked a piece of green vegetable. "My dad even told me to consider the old man's feelings and help if I could. I told him straight up, no way! If a crappy company like Liang Fan can be listed on the US stock market, I, Liang Sichen, will change my name!"
Seeing her huffing and puffing, Qin Hao couldn't help but laugh: "Not bad, you've been in contact with bosses in China a lot lately, and you can even use these kinds of idioms so easily. You've improved quite quickly."
"That's right! I've always been a fast learner since I was little!" Liang Sichen raised her pretty face, her eyes sparkling, and the smile on her lips was impossible to hide. As she spoke, she slightly revealed two rows of white teeth, which looked particularly lively under the light.
The atmosphere in the private room unconsciously became ambiguous. Sunlight streamed through the window, falling warmly and brightly on the two of them. (End of Chapter)