The birth of the Hong Kong Island family

Lin Zhichao came to a high-end restaurant in Wan Chai to attend the wedding of Li Jiacheng and Zhuang Yueming.

In fact, he recently attended a funeral where his 'benefactor' Jian Dongpu passed away, which shocked Lin Zhichao.

Because although Jian Dongpu is 79 years old, he is still the chairman and general manager of Bank of East Asia and is still working; his sudden death is obviously a bit surprising.

Jian Dongpu was kind to Lin Zhichao. He took great care of Lin Zhichao when it came to loans, and he also vaguely became a "business backer" of Lin Zhichao.

Later, after Lin Zhichao became prosperous, he also took great care of the Bank of East Asia. His annual deposits were no less than 100 million, and he handed over the capital transactions of the Yangtze River Industrial Group to the Bank of East Asia.

Although it was a bit sudden, Lin Zhichao could only accept the fact that there was no resurrection after death.

Sometimes he even laments that he was born in August 1928 and is already 35 years old. He will also be 95 years old when he lives in 2023, which makes people feel "sad"; assuming that he can maintain the physical functions of a sixty-year-old by then, He can donate more money, otherwise he cannot guarantee that his children will continue his strong philanthropy.

From the current point of view, Lin Zhichao's body has not encountered the same situation in his previous life - he can't urinate enough in middle age and life is short; on the contrary, he is as brave as ever, and he can easily challenge three people, and he is as vigorous as when he was twenty. avoid.

Of course, even though he is so fierce and unscrupulous, Lin Zhichao is still very restrained in that aspect.

"Lin Sheng, Mrs. Lin, it's an honor for us and my husband to come here!" Li Jiacheng and Zhuang Yueming greeted happily.

At this time, many people at the wedding were a little surprised. They didn't expect that a small plastic flower businessman could actually know the leader of the Chinese community in Hong Kong and be invited to the wedding.

Zhuang Jing'an, who was standing next to him, was also surprised by his son-in-law's connections. If he invited Lin Zhichao, others might give him face; but since he had no social connections with Lin Zhichao, he would not invite him.

Many guests also speculated that Lin Zhichao was invited by Zhuang Jing'an, and they were immediately relieved.

"Congratulations, you two have finally achieved enlightenment and are happy!" Lin Zhichao congratulated with a smile.

"Thank you, please come in!"

Li Jiacheng was quite moved. This boss was still very approachable!

There were still many celebrities attending the wedding, but it was obvious that Zhuang Jing'an had enough reputation; Zhuang Jing'an was the founder of Hong Kong Chao'an Association and the first and second president of the association, so naturally he was there. The Chaoshan Gang has a certain prestige.

"Uncle Lin, Mrs. Lin" Liao Liewen immediately stepped forward to say hello.

Lin Zhichao and his father, Liao Baoshan, were close friends of the same generation, and when Liao was in trouble, Lin Zhichao was the most helpful and sincere. Liao Liewen, under the guidance of his father, Liao Baoshan, naturally respected Lin Zhichao very much.

Lin Zhichao patted Liao Liewen on the shoulder and said happily: "You are good! You have lived up to your father's expectations and supported the Liao family."

Liao Liewen said quickly: "Thank you Uncle Lin for your affirmation and teaching!"

Lin Zhichao said: "Don't talk about that! You can continue to develop real estate without shrinking, and you can play a huge role in the Chaoshan Chamber of Commerce. These courages are all due to your father's teachings and your own efforts. Okay, we will also If we don’t talk about this, we can cooperate more in the future. Who is this?”

Because beside Liao Liewen, there was also a middle-aged man with a square face and thick eyebrows, standing there a little reluctantly!

Generally speaking, he and Liao Liewen are reminiscing about the past, what are you doing here?

Liao Liewen immediately introduced: "Uncle Lin, this is Chief Detective Lu Le Zonghua. He respects you very much, so follow me to pay a visit!"

Lin Zhichao looked at Lu Le, and immediately thought, is this the awesome Inspector Zong Hua on TV? Is it Lu Le who dared to let the British police superintendent go? Why stand in front of me, without any momentum, even cautious and subtle.

"Hello Lin Sheng, I have worked as security for you and the Hong Kong Governor before, but I didn't expect you to be so young!" Lu Le said with a smile, a little reserved and low-key.

Lin Zhichao smiled and said, "It's Inspector Lu Zonghua! Last time you did me a little favor, I'll toast you later!"

Lu Le was immediately flattered, and quickly said: "Lin Sheng, you are serious, I will toast you later!"

"Haha, it's settled!"

"Yes Yes"

The small favor Lin Zhichao was talking about was what happened to Long Shengxun last time. As the chief detective of Hong Kong Island, Lu Le, after learning about the conflict between the two parties, decisively let Lin Zhichao's bodyguard go immediately and locked up Long Shengxun until the next day. , was released after being released on bail.

Although he did not personally participate in these matters, lawyer Hu Baoxing had told him about them.

Of course, no one would dare to shut down Lin Zhichao's bodyguard, especially if the other party was looking for trouble.

Next, Li Jiacheng's wedding ceremony began, and the banquet was good. After all, he married Zhuang Jing'an's eldest daughter, so there is no reason why he would lose face.

Lin Zhichao made some predictions in his mind. Li Jiacheng might be able to have a cash flow of 3 to 4 million Hong Kong dollars by 1967. If this amount of funds is used to buy real estate at the bottom, there is hope that it can be listed in 1972.

After all, it was very easy to go public in those years. It is said that assets of 20 million Hong Kong dollars can be listed, and some restaurants can be listed to raise funds. Therefore, with Li Jiacheng's ability, he could manage the company to 20-50 million in 1972, and raise funds to about 10 million.

It is impossible to become Lin Zhichao's opponent again. No matter how powerful he is, it is impossible for him to catch up with the top ten real estate developers in the late 1970s.

Because of this, Lin Zhichao let him go at the auction and helped him; it was because Lin Zhichao didn't want Hong Kong to lose a Li Jiacheng, including Bao Yugang, in the 1980s and 1990s.

The wedding went smoothly. In the following time, many people scrambled to chat with Lin Zhichao. It was obvious that he was the biggest celebrity today.

Lin Zhichao is not arrogant, he is kind to everyone, but it makes people feel that it is difficult to get along and be friends; in this way, it is not possible for anyone to rely on Lin Zhichao.

The people he promotes must be his own people, or people with real skills.

For Lu Le, Lin Zhichao actually had the same attitude. When he came to toast, he just expressed it, and then there was nothing else.

After all, for Lin Zhichao, Lu Le is also a person who can't get on the stage, so naturally he doesn't care about him. On top of him, there is the Chaoshan Chamber of Commerce, and the leaders of the Chaoshan Chamber of Commerce, who dare to hold up in front of Lin Zhichao!

Liao Liewen, who is about to be the chairman, even called him "Uncle Lin" respectfully!

The only fly in the ointment is that London has not conferred the title of 'Jazz' on him, which is more or less ignorant of flattery!

In other words, the response is too slow!

The Hilton Hotel at No. 2 Queen's Road, Central, Hong Kong opened. Lin Zhichao and Xu Caiying attended the opening ceremony.

It is well known that he has two official wives, but when he attends many events, he always brings Xu Caiying with him instead of Tang Caiyun.

It's not because Xu Caiying is more beautiful, after all, Tang Caiyun is also beautiful; the real reason is that Tang Caiyun is like a national treasure, a stable place for the Lin family, so she hardly appears in public.

At this point, Tang Caiyun did pay more. Fortunately, she and Xu Caiying had a very good relationship since childhood, and she knew her important position in this family.

According to Lin Zhichao's usual approach, in fact, he assumed that something happened to him, and Tang Caiyun wanted to hold on to the "best kept" Cheung Kong; in simple terms, the shipping and industrial assets can be sold, and the real estate needs to be held until his son can help and inherit. At that time, the task is completed.

At present, it seems that Lin Zhichao's rear has basically stabilized. During Lin Zhichao's overseas period, Tang Caiyun was able to control Changjiang Industrial, and cooperated closely with all high-level officials, and there was no conflict. The characteristic of Tang Caiyun is that she continues Lin Zhichao's style and listens to the opinions of senior executives. She is not very strong, but she can represent Lin Zhichao.

Xu Caiying can't do it anymore, Global Shipping is still transparent, and the senior management will not ask her for advice; it's not that the senior management are arrogant, but the boss's wife is not professional at all, and there is no reason to ask for advice.

Fortunately, Lin Zhichao didn't force Xu Caiying!

"It's a beautiful hotel building!" Xu Caiying said with emotion as she looked at the building of the Hilton Hotel.

The Hilton Hotel in Central, Hong Kong, was invested by an American businessman and a German businessman. It is said to have cost US$1,400. It is located at No. 2 Queen's Road, while No. 1 Queen's Road is the HSBC Bank Building. The appearance of the hotel building is somewhat like an ‘L’ shape, with an arc-shaped structure underneath.

After the hotel building is built, it is handed over to the Hilton Hotel Group for management. In fact, the ownership and management rights are separated. In this cooperation model, the general term is up to 50 years, and 10% of the turnover is charged as a management fee every year. Because it is fully managed, a signboard is also used.

The location of the Hilton Hotel is very good, and it feels better than the HSBC Bank, because there is a big park next to it and the view is very good; on the contrary, there are buildings on both sides of the HSBC Bank, which is slightly crowded.

"The future will belong to our family!" Lin Zhichao said lightly.

Xu Caiying looked at Lin Zhichao in surprise, and then smiled. She thought Lin Zhichao was joking and didn't take it to heart.

"Go in, don't let people think that we are here to spy on the military situation, but not to attend the banquet!" She took Lin Zhichao's arm and walked towards the hotel.

As everyone knows, Lin Zhichao was telling the truth. Not surprisingly, ten years later, due to the oil crisis, the owner of this hotel building was willing to sell the ownership (property ownership and hotel ownership), and the selling price seemed to be as much as one in Bali. The Hyatt Hotel only costs over 200 million (230 million), which is incredibly cheap.

At that time, Hong Kong was experiencing a sharp decline in real estate caused by the stock market crash and the oil crisis, so it could not be sold at a high price.

In this life, Lin Zhishan naturally accepted it. After all, besides him, who else in Hong Kong could afford it!

After buying it, it happened to wait until the 1980s when the contract with Hilton Hotel Group was forced to be terminated and a compensation fee was paid, and then it could be rebuilt.

By then, the building war and Feng Shui war between HSBC, Bank of China, and Yangtze River Center will naturally begin.

very interesting!

Arriving at the entrance of the Hilton Hotel, there were many Hong Kong celebrities participating. Even Governor Robert B. Lincoln came to attend, making it very lively.

John Qiao, the owner of the Hilton Hotel and the owner of the American-owned company Yonggao, also warmly entertained Lin Zhichao and his wife.

In Hong Kong, there are currently four five-star hotels, Peninsula Hotel, Miramar Hotel, Mandarin Hotel, and Hilton Hotel. There are exactly two in Kowloon and Hong Kong Island, regardless of each other. Before 1963, Kowloon was actually completely victorious and had two five-star hotels.

After the ribbon cutting and cocktail reception, the Hilton Hotel officially announced its opening.

During the reception, Bai Liji and Lin Zhichao also took the time to chat.

"Mr. Lin, thank you for supporting the work of the Hong Kong government and supporting a large number of water transport ships!" Bai Liji said with a smile.

"Your Excellency the Governor of Hong Kong, I have always been very supportive of the work of the Hong Kong government as a Hong Kong citizen. You know that!" Lin Zhichao raised his glass as a signal, and the two of them just had to taste it.

Bai Liji was very satisfied with Lin Zhichao's consistent style. According to people in the Political Department, Lin Zhichao had never participated in politics and had no communication with his opponent at all. In this way, everyone thinks that Lin Zhichao highly approves of the British Hong Kong government.

In fact, what these people don't know is that Lin Zhichao is a businessman, so he can naturally play both sides, but there is obviously no need to do so at this time.

From a fundamental point of view, Lin Zhichao's heart belongs to China, and the specific manifestation is that after 1978, he returned to the motherland; taking charity as an example, 70% of charitable funds in the future will be donated to mainland China and Hong Kong.

But he dares to say that 70% of his future wealth will come from overseas, not Hong Kong and the mainland.

Of course, with the lessons learned from Li Chaoren in his previous life, Lin Zhichao will never have high hopes, and it doesn't matter how much you love to comment on him. All he did was to have a clear conscience.

"By the way, Mr. Lin, what suggestions do you have for the future of this fresh water resource?" Bai Liji was very interested, and directly asked Lin Zhichao for his opinion in public.

Generally speaking, the Hong Kong government always consults the opinions of members of the Legislative Council, so it allows Chinese to be elected as part of the members, as well as the big classes of foreign companies, so that they can intuitively understand Hong Kong society.

Now if you ask Lin Zhichao directly, there are so many questions!

Lin Zhichao's brain reacted quickly, and he knew the doorway in an instant:

First, he is a Chinese business leader and has great influence in the eyes of Hong Kong Chinese, just like Ho Tung before;

Second, this is actually a political issue. Bai Liji is testing Lin Zhichao's tendency. It's very simple. Now that the Huaxia General Chamber of Commerce and the Hong Kong-Kowloon Trade Union go to the mainland, they have demands for the construction of a water supply project; once the mainland agrees to this water supply project, the Hong Kong government has no choice but to agree, rather than being very willing, because it means that the mainland The connection with Hong Kong has been strengthened, which is the constant vigilance of the British Hong Kong government. So this is a political incident!

Lin Zhichao said seriously: "I believe that the British Hong Kong government is building a water supply network belonging to Hong Kong. After all, everyone knows the achievements in this area. If the drought comes a few years later, of course, if the mainland water supply project is realized, it will be a double-edged project." Insurance, mainly considering factors such as sudden changes in the situation. Generally speaking, after this difficulty is overcome, the water supply situation in Hong Kong will definitely improve in the future, I believe in government Z!"

His answer was ingenious. He recognized the water supply system built by the British, but he also hoped that the inland water supply project would be realized. At the same time, he was not "ambiguous" or "both sides and right sides", and clearly pointed out that the inland water supply project would not be so stable. The problem, after all, as far as he knew, the water supply project had to ensure the irrigation of Pengcheng's agriculture, and that decade might not be stable at all. Real stability came after the 1980s.

Because of this, Hong Kong built the High Island Reservoir in the 1970s, spending 1.35 billion to build the largest public works project; at the same time, it also paid close attention to desalination of seawater.

Why is there never enough fresh water in Hong Kong?

This is because of Hong Kong's population growth and the need for large amounts of fresh water for economic development. Therefore, even if the current water resources are satisfied, reservoirs must continue to be developed.

So, does the Dongshen Water Supply Project make a big contribution to Hong Kong?

The answer is, of course, a huge one. The 1980s were a time when Hong Kong’s population was booming and its economy was booming. Without fresh water from the motherland, it would not have been so smooth.

A later foreign reporter for the South China Morning Post said that the 'water supply system' to be built by the British was "the most important factor" in Hong Kong's population expansion and becoming a booming city, "more important than any other single factor". The reason is: Hong Kong has historically lacked a reliable water supply system. There are no important rivers, lakes or other natural water sources. Its basic geographical conditions are not conducive to large-scale urbanization. However, thanks to the artificial reservoirs, open channels and Other infrastructure allowed Hong Kong to grow from a small self-sufficient village to a massive city.

This foreign reporter is definitely biased and is suspected of deliberately exaggerating.

Of course, at the end of the article, he briefly mentioned that the mainland had provided fresh water to Hong Kong since the 1960s, but he also said that in the next 20 years, "seasonal water shortages will still be common." The article also writes that Hong Kong's "water shortage" was not truly solved until the Dongshen-Shenzhen Water Supply Project was completed. This not only changed the lives of Hong Kong people, but also allowed Hong Kong's economy to achieve further development in the 1980s.

In fact, there is nothing to argue about!

It's like 7 million people need water, and a fresh water system can feed half of them. How can we argue that it doesn't matter who we are?

In the final analysis, Hong Kong is a small place. To support so many people, it is already overloaded!

After a brief chat with Bai Liji, the two separated.

Even so, many people have seen the close relationship between Lin Zhichao and the Hong Kong government.