OBS Chapter 1351 Please enter the urn
Chapter 1351 Please enter the urn
Chapter 1351 Please enter the urn
One morning two weeks later, in a suite at the Peace Hotel in Shanghai, Xiao Ran, carrying a roll of design drawings, strode up to Qin Hao. His face showed undisguised fatigue, but his eyes gleamed with excitement.
He slowly unfolded the blueprints on the conference table, revealing an exquisite initial rendering—the entire building consisted of four towers of varying heights and a group of surrounding buildings, with the entire facade made of glass curtain walls, completely exceeding the aesthetic standards of Shanghai architecture in the 90s.
"Mr. Lei, look! This is the initial rendering just released by the Shanghai Design Institute. It is designed according to the standards of 'Shanghai's tallest building.' The tallest tower is designed to be 238 meters high, which is 8 meters higher than the 230 meters you requested. The surrounding buildings are planned as commercial facilities, which will complement our chain of shopping malls."
Qin Hao leaned over to look at the blueprints and slowly nodded: "The design is good. Both the appearance and the functional layout are quite innovative. The glass curtain wall design is indeed rare in Shanghai nowadays, and it can create a memorable feature. However, no matter how good the blueprints are, they are just theoretical. The next step is to see if President Xiao can deliver on the promises in the blueprints."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Ran's eyes lit up instantly, and he involuntarily leaned forward: "President Lei, do you mean... you agree to cooperate?"
Qin Hao stood up, smiled, and extended his hand: "It's a pleasure to cooperate with you."
"It's a pleasure to cooperate with you! Thank you so much, Mr. Lei!" Xiao Ran quickly grasped Qin Hao's hand, his grip almost too strong, his eyes slightly reddening: "I'm sorry, I'm a little excited."
For the past two weeks, Xiao Ran had barely slept a wink, fearing that something might go wrong and he would miss this opportunity. He knew that such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to board the giant ship of Haoran International was gone forever.
Qin Hao withdrew his hand, pointed to the chair next to him, indicating that Xiao Ran should sit down, and then his expression became serious: "Don't get excited yet. Business is business. We need to clarify the details of the cooperation."
Xiao Ran quickly sat up straight, took out his notebook and pen, and adopted a posture of attentive listening: "President Lei, please speak, I will write it down."
“I plan to register a new company specifically to handle this Shanghai high-rise project, tentatively named ‘Shanghai Skyline Real Estate Co., Ltd.’ In terms of equity distribution, I will hold 40% of the shares, and you and Yang Xun will each hold 30%.”
Qin Hao paused, then looked at Xiao Ran: "Of course, Mr. Xiao, the cost of the land you acquired can be converted into shares and included in the calculation. We can have the finance team calculate the specific amount based on the land's appraised value."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Ran frowned slightly. He had originally thought that as the landowner, he would own at least 40% of the shares, but now he only owned 30%, which inevitably left him feeling somewhat disappointed. However, he didn't express his opinion directly. Instead, he quickly calculated in his mind: Qin Hao's 40% stake meant he would control the project's direction and bring resources and connections from Haoran International; Yang Xun's 30% stake would bring commercial support from the chain of shopping malls. Although he had fewer shares, he could leverage the combined strength of the two to make the project a success, which was more worthwhile in the long run.
Yang Xun, who was standing to the side, was both surprised and delighted to hear that he also had a 30% stake, but he also had some concerns. He asked cautiously, "Brother Hao, should I... should I merge my 'Donghai No. 1' shopping mall into this new project?"
His biggest worry is that the shopping mall he worked so hard to build will be sold off; it's the culmination of his efforts.
"No need." Qin Hao shook his head, dispelling his concerns: "'Donghai No. 1' shopping mall will not participate in the equity distribution of this project. After the office building's podium is completed, the commercial portion of the podium can be rented to 'Donghai No. 1' at market prices. This will not only ensure the mall's expansion needs but also bring stable rental income to the new project, killing two birds with one stone."
Yang Xun secretly breathed a sigh of relief. The business was now a golden goose, and he was reluctant to give up his shares.
Upon hearing that Qin Hao and Yang Xun had both invested the full amount, and that he only needed to make up the difference in shares, Xiao Ran felt a significant relief from his financial burden. The slight disappointment he had felt vanished instantly, and he immediately nodded: "President Lei, I agree to this plan! The equity distribution and investment method are both fine. I can arrange for someone to connect with your company's finance team tomorrow to calculate the land price and convert it into shares."
Next, the registered capital needs to be finalized. Qin Hao picked up a pen and did some simple calculations on the paper: "Based on the current design plan and construction cost estimates, the total investment for the entire project will be at least 500 million yuan. We'll tentatively set the registered capital of our new company at 300 million yuan, and the remaining funds can be obtained through bank loans or project financing."
This substantial investment delighted Xiao Ran—a registered capital of 300 million yuan meant a solid financial foundation for the project, eliminating concerns about a potential cash flow crisis. However, he quickly calculated his own investment: a 30% stake required 90 million yuan, and the land acquisition cost, converted to RMB 50 million, meant he needed to contribute an additional 40 million yuan. This 40 million yuan was no small sum for him; he would need to sell assets from several of his smaller residential projects to raise it.
But Xiao Ran did not hesitate at all and gritted his teeth to agree: "No problem! I will raise the 4000 million within a month and will not delay the project progress."
He knew very well that as long as the "tallest building in Shanghai" project could be completed smoothly, he would be fully on board the giant ship of Haoran International, and his business in Shanghai and even the whole country would be smooth sailing. Even if he had to sell all his previous projects, it would be worth it.
Yang Xun, however, wore a bitter expression. The opening of "Donghai No. 1" had exhausted all his working capital, and now coming up with 90 million yuan was harder than climbing to heaven.
He was about to complain when he saw Qin Hao secretly wink at him. Yang Xun had a sudden thought and had no choice but to bite the bullet and nod, "I...I'm fine with it too. I'll raise the 9000 million as soon as possible."
After Xiao Ran left happily with the letter of intent, Yang Xun couldn't hold back any longer. He approached Qin Hao with a bitter face and complained, "Brother Hao, aren't you making things difficult for me? 9000 million! I can't even come up with 900 million right now. Where am I going to get that much money? Maybe I should just withdraw and give the shares to someone else."
"Alright, stop complaining about being poor." Qin Hao smiled and handed him a cup of tea. "I'll lend you 6000 million privately later, with interest calculated at the bank's benchmark rate. You don't need to pledge any assets. As for the remaining 3000 million, figure it out yourself. Is that alright?"
Upon hearing about the 6000 million loan, Yang Xun beamed with joy and nodded hurriedly, "No problem! I can definitely get 3000 million! But Brother Hao, why do you insist on involving me in this project? Wouldn't it be better if Xiao Ran partnered with you alone?"
Qin Hao put down his teacup and looked at him: "If you were Xiao Ran, and you were leading a project, but suddenly someone else owns 70% of the shares while you only have 30%, how would you feel? Wouldn't you feel uncomfortable, like you've gone from being the 'boss' to an 'employee'?"
Yang Xun suddenly realized, slapping his forehead: "Oh! I get it! You brought me in to balance the shareholding, to make Xiao Ran feel better, so he wouldn't feel excluded! So I was just brought in to make up the numbers!"
"That's not quite right," Qin Hao smiled. "The 'Donghai No. 1' you have is an important commercial resource. After the project is completed, it will need a shopping mall to move in and attract customers. Your involvement will help to better coordinate the cooperation between the shopping mall and the project."
"Brother Hao, where did you learn all this? You used to say I only had clever tricks, and I was a little unconvinced, but now I'm completely convinced."
Qin Hao laughed and scolded, "Stop flattering me. Go find a copy of 'The Art of War' and learn the 'art of weighing options.' Reading more books is always useful. Don't always think about relying on your cleverness."
Yang Xun chuckled and nodded, just as he was about to say something more, when there was a sudden knock on the hotel door.
He got up and opened the door, only to see Liang Sichen walking in without any hesitation, carrying an elegant handbag, her eyes going straight past him to Qin Hao. "Brother Hao, are you guys done talking?"
Liang Sichen walked up to Qin Hao, her tone light and cheerful, "My grandfather is back from Shenzhen. He specially asked the family to prepare dinner for us today and would like to invite you to our home."
Seeing this, Yang Xun tactfully picked up his coat and said, "Then I won't bother you any longer. I have something to do, so I'll be leaving now."
Liang Sichen had no intention of inviting Yang Xun at all. As soon as he left the office, she reached out and closed the door.
Yang Xun stood outside the door, listening to the voices coming from inside, and thought to himself, "This girl is still the same as when she was little, not likable at all. But to be fair, she is indeed beautiful and has a good temperament..."
In the hotel room, Qin Hao took out instant coffee from the cabinet, made a cup for Liang Shenchen, and handed it to her with a smile: "How was your grandfather's trip to Shenzhen? Did he change his mind?"
Liang Sichen took the coffee, held the cup with both hands, tilted her head and thought for a moment, then said seriously, "Hmm, Grandpa raved about Shenzhen! He said Shenzhen is changing so fast, there are skyscrapers under construction everywhere, and the young people are very energetic. It's completely different from the inland areas he imagined. Hao-ge, is 'praised to death' the right idiom?"
Qin Hao gave a thumbs up, a smile in his eyes: "That's right, very accurate. It seems your Chinese has improved since you returned to China."
Upon hearing this, Liang Sichen smiled happily, her eyes curving into crescents.
……
As the sun sets, its golden rays bathe a French-style villa in the western suburbs of Shanghai. The villa's red brick walls gleam with a warm glow in the sunset, and the leaves of the plane trees in the courtyard rustle in the wind.
Inside the villa, the chef was busy in the kitchen. The clanging of stainless steel spatulas and the aroma of ingredients wafted from the kitchen and filled the entire living room.
Grandpa Wang sat on the leather sofa in the living room, holding a newspaper in his hand, but his eyes kept glancing out the window.
Mother Liang came over with a plate of fruit. Seeing her father's little gesture, she couldn't help but laugh: "Father, it's just inviting a junior over for dinner. Why are you so nervous? You even cleaned this villa that no one lives in normally. Isn't that a bit too much?"
"Is it a grand affair?" Old Master Wang put down his newspaper and stubbornly replied, "It's just a simple meal."
Mrs. Liang placed the fruit platter on the coffee table, smiling as she exposed his rudeness: "Isn't this grand enough? This is the first time you've invited outsiders to dinner since we took back this villa two years ago. You even had the housekeeper bring out your treasured silverware set just now..."
"There's always a first time for everything..." Old Master Wang was at a loss for words and was about to find a reason to defend himself when he suddenly saw a familiar black Crown car slowly drive into the courtyard outside the window. He quickly picked up the newspaper and held it in front of his face, put on a stern face, and pretended to continue reading the newspaper.
Knowing that her father was proud and wouldn't lower himself to greet the young people at the door, Liang's mother smiled, shook her head, and got up to walk to the entrance.
After the car came to a stop, Qin Hao got out, carrying two bottles of red wine—which he had specially bought as a gift for his visit.
He walked to the entrance, and Mrs. Liang quickly opened the door with a gentle smile on her face: "Mr. Lei, welcome! I've been wanting to invite you to our home for a long time, but I haven't found a suitable opportunity. Please don't be shy today, make yourself at home."
Qin Hao handed the red wine to the nanny who came to greet him, took the slippers she offered, and smiled at Liang's mother, saying, "Thank you, you're too kind. I can't guarantee anything else, but I've never been one to stand on ceremony when it comes to meals."
The three walked into the living room chatting and laughing. Only then did Old Master Wang reluctantly put down his newspaper, stand up, and invite him with feigned authority: "Mr. Lei, please sit down."
Qin Hao sat down on the sofa, his gaze sweeping over the living room's decor—European-style chandeliers, vintage oil paintings, and exquisite carpets, all exuding understated luxury.
He looked at Old Master Wang and said with a smile, "Mr. Wang, I heard from Si Shen that you were very satisfied with your trip to Shenzhen?"
Upon hearing this, Mr. Wang showed a look of emotion: "Yes, I spent half a month in Shenzhen this time, visiting more than a dozen companies and industrial parks. I only have one feeling—it's changing rapidly. I used to think that the inland economy lacked vitality, but now I see that I was wrong. Compared to Shenzhen's vigor and speed, Shanghai is far behind and is still too conservative."
Qin Hao sat up straight and said solemnly, "Shenzhen is indeed a pioneer of reform and opening up. Its policies are flexible, and it dares to try new things, so its rapid development is inevitable. However, Shanghai also has its advantages: a good geographical location, a solid business foundation, and a large talent pool. I heard that the higher authorities have already started discussing the development plan for Pudong. Once the development of Pudong starts, I believe that Shanghai will soon be able to catch up with Shenzhen's pace, or even surpass Shenzhen."
"Oh? Develop Pudong?" Old Master Wang's eyes lit up, and he sat up straight instantly. He was a native Shanghainese with a deep affection for the city and had always hoped to see Shanghai regain its former glory as the "Pearl of the Orient." His previous comments about Shanghai being "conservative" were largely out of disappointment.
He quickly pressed on, "Mr. Lei, is there any basis for your statement? I've never heard anything about the Pudong development from my friends in Hong Kong."
"It's still in the internal discussion stage and hasn't been officially announced to the public yet. I only heard about it by chance from some friends."
Just then, the nanny came over and said respectfully, "Sir, Madam, dinner is ready and can be served."
Grandpa Wang quickly said, "Then let's eat first and chat while we eat. Mr. Lei, try some of the local Shanghainese dishes prepared by our chef and see if they suit your taste."
Inside the restaurant, a long table was covered with a white tablecloth, and the silver cutlery gleamed softly under the lights. The table was laden with exquisite dishes—drunken chicken, braised pork, steamed shad, and braised eel in sizzling oil—each dish a genuine Shanghai delicacy.
Qin Hao and Grandpa Wang sat in the main seats, while Liang's mother and Liang Sichen sat on either side. The four of them drank and chatted.
Qin Hao chatted with Grandpa Wang about his "visions" for the development of Pudong—such as building a financial district in Pudong, attracting foreign-invested enterprises to settle in, and creating an international trade platform. Every idea was in line with the policy direction and full of feasibility.
The more Grandpa Wang listened, the more he felt that Qin Hao was "unfathomable." This young man not only had a business mind, but also made extremely accurate judgments about policy trends, which were more astute than many people who had been working in the business world for a long time.
After a few rounds of drinks, Mr. Wang put down his glass and asked earnestly, "Mr. Lei, is your 'Shanghai's tallest building' project still short of funding?"
Qin Hao was somewhat surprised, then smiled and said, "Mr. Wang, are you planning to invest in our project? Aren't you afraid that the project might be risky and you might not be able to recoup your costs?"
Grandpa Wang said frankly, "What business is without risk? I've lived to this age, what storms haven't I weathered? As long as it's a profitable project, why wouldn't I invest? Besides, I'm not confident in the project itself, but in Mr. Lei's vision and ability. You've built Haoran International into such a large company, and you've seen through the opportunities presented by the development of Pudong, so this project must be quite good."
Qin Hao hesitated for a moment before giving an immediate answer: "I need to discuss this with shareholders Xiao Ran and Yang Xun. After all, the project is jointly funded by the three of us, and I can't make the decision on my own. I'll give you an answer after I talk to them tomorrow. Is that alright?"
"Of course, I'll be waiting for your good news." Old Master Wang didn't insist, and with a smile, he raised his wine glass and clinked it with Qin Hao's.
After dinner, Liang Sichen offered to see Qin Hao out. The two strolled slowly along the stone path in the courtyard, the night breeze carrying a slight coolness that felt pleasant on their faces.
"Is my grandfather's offer to invest putting you in a difficult position?" Liang Sichen looked at Qin Hao, her tone tinged with concern. "I noticed you seemed hesitant at the dinner table earlier. Actually, you don't need to consider my feelings. My grandfather is a businessman; he understands normal business practices."
Qin Hao couldn't help but laugh: "Why would you think that? Actually, I'd love for your grandfather to get involved."
"Huh?" Liang Sichen was stunned and looked at him in confusion.
"Although Xiao Ran and Yang Xun are capable and motivated, they lack strategic vision. I can't stay in China year-round to monitor the project's progress, so I inevitably worry about them making mistakes. Your grandfather is an experienced businessman. With him on the project, he can help control the direction and supervise the progress, saving me a lot of trouble."
Qin Hao explained, "My hesitation at the dinner table was intentional—I wanted your grandfather to feel that this investment opportunity wasn't something you could just get easily."
Liang Sichen seemed thoughtful: "So, you were just 'waiting for the best price'? That's the idiom, right?"
Qin Hao nodded approvingly: "That's right, you're using idioms more and more accurately now. It seems that the language environment has been a great help to you since you returned to China."
"Really?" Liang Sichen looked up happily, the light from the streetlamp shining on her fair face, her skin as smooth as fine porcelain.
"Well, really."