Chapter 226: Four Seasons Hotel
Yang Wendong thought for a moment, then asked, "Old Zheng, since the Hong Kong government requires that this land be developed into a hotel, is there a time limit?"
Zheng Zhijie replied, "Twenty years. The government stipulates that any buyer of this land must build and open a hotel within two years, and operate it for twenty years. After twenty years, the government will no longer regulate its use — it can remain a hotel or be used for other purposes."
"Twenty years! Not bad," Yang Wendong nodded.
Twenty-two years later would be 1983 — the lowest point of the real estate cycle. Operating the hotel for twenty years was unlikely to result in losses. After that, he could demolish it and build a skyscraper. And if the hotel business turned out to be profitable, he could still reserve some floors for hotel use in the future building.
The land measured 38,000 square feet — practically made for a skyscraper. But in the 1960s, the tallest buildings generally had just over 20 floors. The times weren't ready for more yet — it would have to wait.
Zheng Zhijie continued, "Yang Sheng, to bid for this land, we also need to submit a hotel proposal. We can either collaborate with an international hotel management giant or register our own brand and operate it ourselves. What do you think?"
"We'll run it ourselves," Yang Wendong said decisively.
International hotel chains were known for being tricky, using all sorts of tactics — some of which Yang Wendong was well aware of. Sure, they might allow investors to make a bit of money, but not out of goodwill. It was to sustain long-term collaboration with owners.
More importantly, these partnerships often lasted over 20 years. In his previous life, Old Li had gone through all kinds of underhanded means to regain management rights of his hotel property. The hotel chain had been simply too domineering.
Zheng Zhijie asked again, "Okay then. Should we name the hotel 'Changxing Hotel'?"
"No. That name won't do," Yang Wendong shook his head. "For industries like real estate or shipping — ones that don't face consumers — using 'Changxing' is fine. But a hotel, although technically real estate, mainly serves everyday people. It's a consumer-facing business."
"Let me think it over. Once I decide on a name, I'll let you know. Or you can brainstorm a few options and I'll pick one."
"Understood, Yang Sheng," Zheng Zhijie nodded. "I'll get started on preparing the rest of the application materials."
"Okay. When is the auction scheduled?" Yang Wendong asked.
Zheng Zhijie replied, "November. The government has deliberately postponed the auction to attract more international capital. I estimate the proceeds from this sale will make up a big part of their fiscal revenue this year."
"Of course," Yang Wendong nodded. "This 38,000-square-foot plot costs more than our 8.5 million square feet in Kwun Tong."
The Hong Kong government imposed low taxes, but still needed revenue. Selling land was a major source of it. Although in the 1960s, this wasn't as significant as it would become in the 1980s.
Other taxes tended to be fixed and fluctuated with the economy — when the economy was strong, tax income rose, and when weak, it fell. Only real estate sales could be adjusted flexibly: sell more, earn more. But to avoid devaluing land in the long term, the government released land strategically — not too much, not too little. Everything was about balance.
In the evening, after returning home, Yang Wendong spent some time playing with his son.
"Babababa~" Yang Wendong shook a rattle to get his son's attention, but the boy was soon more interested in his mother.
Su Yiyi smiled and said, "You're not around enough. He's not that familiar with you anymore."
"As long as he doesn't cry when he sees me, that's good enough," Yang Wendong said as he lay back on the sofa, head level with his son's, watching the baby's face and enjoying the quiet moment.
Su Yiyi asked, "You just got off the plane. Want to rest for a while?"
Yang Wendong shook his head. "It's only 4 o'clock. If I nap now, I'll be up too early tonight. Better to tough it out a bit longer and spend time with the little guy."
"Alright then. I'll go make you some white fungus soup," Su Yiyi said as she stood up.
"Make it cold," Yang Wendong called after her.
"Mm," Su Yiyi replied, walking toward the kitchen. Yang Wendong continued playing with his son.
At three months old, the baby could already smile and respond to teasing, giggling happily at his father's silly faces.
When Su Yiyi returned with the soup, she smiled and said, "You're pretty good at this."
"I do like playing with kids," Yang Wendong said as he took the soup. "But there's a lot of important business I still have to handle. Otherwise, I'd be home more often."
Even though the Changxing Group had already adopted a professional management system, no CEO could just completely hand things off — especially when many of the group's businesses were still in early stages. As the founder and person responsible for setting the strategic direction, Yang Wendong couldn't just disappear.
He also held tight control over finances and personnel, so with power came responsibility.
Su Yiyi smiled and said, "Your career comes first. Otherwise, your life would be too boring."
The family's wealth was already enough that as long as their descendants didn't blow it all, gamble, or start some doomed business ventures, they'd be wealthy for generations.
But that wasn't what Yang Wendong was after. If he'd wanted to retire rich, he could have done it back in 1959 — just one product, the Post-it note, had already guaranteed a life of luxury.
Yang Wendong nodded. "It's good to have a wife who understands. Once I wrap up the current batch of things, I'll spend more time at home."
In truth, even during his busiest times in Hong Kong, he still managed to spend about half his time with his family. It was just that for the recent trip to the U.S. to invest in Walmart and recruit supermarket talent, he had to be away longer than usual.
Su Yiyi asked, "Did everything go smoothly in the U.S.?"
"Everything went very smoothly," Yang Wendong nodded, then explained the whole story.
After hearing about it, Su Yiyi said, "So now you're going to start buying up large properties in Hong Kong and turning them into big grocery stores—no wait, you call them supermarkets."
"That's right. And we need to start with locations in Central or nearby," Yang Wendong said. "Supermarkets need to open near each other at first."
Su Yiyi replied, "Makes sense. If you can acquire the properties, they'll be worth a lot anyway."
"Exactly," Yang Wendong smiled. Then he asked, "How's your clothing store project coming along?"
Even though Su Yiyi could easily be a full-time housewife, Yang Wendong didn't want her stuck at home all day. In addition to helping with the group's general affairs, she was also launching her own clothing store business out of personal interest.
Su Yiyi said, "It's about to open. Zheng Sheng helped me buy a few street-facing shops in Kwun Tong and North Point, each about 1,000 square feet. Renovations are underway, and we should be ready by October."
"Not opening in Central? Are you targeting the mass market?" Yang Wendong asked.
Su Yiyi nodded. "Yes, you said before that the most profitable clothing businesses aren't the luxury brands, but the ones that move volume. So I'm following your advice and making affordable clothing for regular Hong Kong people."
"Good. Where are you sourcing your products?" Yang Wendong followed up.
"From local factories in Hong Kong," Su Yiyi said. "I hired a professional manager named Shen to run it all."
"That works," Yang Wendong said. "The textile and garment industry in Hong Kong is already quite mature. Even the U.S. has started anti-dumping investigations — you don't get that unless the quality is decent."
Textiles and garments were usually the first industries to develop in any industrial economy, and Hong Kong had been producing clothing since the 1920s and 30s. Interrupted briefly by war, the industry picked up steam again after 1945 and became Hong Kong's largest export sector.
Su Yiyi asked curiously, "What's an anti-dumping investigation?"
Yang Wendong patiently explained it to her.
Even though Su Yiyi was no longer illiterate, she still didn't know some of the more technical terms.
"Oh, I see," she said. "Since the U.S. is Hong Kong's biggest export market, if they raise tariffs, our clothing factories will be in trouble."
"Exactly," Yang Wendong said. "But it's not really our fault. It's more about competition between the U.K. and the U.S. The British protect their Commonwealth markets and keep others out, but then want to export freely to the U.S. — of course the Americans are pissed."
"That makes sense," Su Yiyi nodded.
Yang Wendong continued, "Anyway, if you want to take your clothing business seriously, treat it like we did Changxing Industrial in the early days — focus on training your team. I'll have Changxing Real Estate buy up shopfronts for your future expansion. Once you have enough people, you can start opening more stores."
Street-level commercial properties in busy areas were some of the most valuable assets in real estate. Unlike shopping malls that could be built from scratch, old storefronts on major streets were irreplaceable.
Su Yiyi nodded and said, "I've noticed a lot of people in Hong Kong still wear old-style cotton clothes. If I can lower the price of short-sleeved shirts so that everyone can afford one in summer, I'll feel like I've accomplished something."
"That's a good mission," Yang Wendong praised.
Back when he was poor, even in summer he had to wear old linen shirts. T-shirts were still rare, mostly found in cities.
Su Yiyi said, "I'll write up a business plan and show it to you."
"Sounds good. Just let me know which locations you want, and I'll have Changxing Real Estate buy the shops," Yang Wendong said.
With enough money, a business plan didn't need to be perfect — it just had to make sense.
…
After a day of rest at home, Yang Wendong visited a six-story building in Kwun Tong.
"Yang Wendong," Wei Zetao and Zheng Zhijie greeted him at the entrance.
Su Yiyi said, "I still think the Four Seasons Hotel sounds better. In English, it translates to 'Four Seasons,' which rolls off the tongue nicely. As for Shangri-La, many people might not even know what it means in Chinese, and even in English, it's not something everyone understands."
Yang Wendong nodded and replied, "That's true. Even someone who's illiterate would understand what 'Four Seasons' means. Shangri-La definitely isn't as easy to grasp."
Su Yiyi added, "But the name Four Seasons Hotel does sound kind of ordinary."
"Haha, whether a hotel is ordinary or luxurious depends on how it's run," Yang Wendong said with a smile. "Do you think Hilton, a hotel named after a surname, sounds luxurious just from the name?"
"That's true," Su Yiyi nodded in agreement.
Yang Wendong continued, "Then let's go with Four Seasons. I'll position it as a high-end brand. I'll start with one in Hong Kong, and if I have the ability, I'll expand overseas in the future. Who knows? Maybe I can build it into a world-class five-star hotel chain like Hilton."
In his past life, the Four Seasons Hotel had decent recognition, but its presence wasn't massive, probably because the founding team didn't have enough capital and avoided major expansions during the 20th century. By the time the 21st century arrived, Hilton, InterContinental, and other brands had already dominated the best locations, making it hard for newcomers to expand.
Su Yiyi smiled and said, "Then you'd have to invest overseas, right?"
"Yeah. There's only so much room in Hong Kong for hotels," Yang Wendong nodded. "But that's something for the distant future. For now, the priority is to secure the Queen's Road land."
Although the main motive behind this investment was to acquire the land, once he embarked on the hotel business, there was no doubt he'd continue to develop it seriously.
Su Yiyi then asked, "Why are you approaching a Chinese-funded bank? Wouldn't it be better to go with HSBC or Standard Chartered?"
Yang Wendong explained, "It's mainly a matter of balance. First, my loan request isn't very risky, so it's a good opportunity to win over the bank. Second, I can't rely too heavily on one bank. For example, I already borrowed a lot from HSBC for the Kwun Tong investment. And recently, Zheng Yuhua from Changxing Shipping told me he's thinking of buying a new ship. For these future international loans, I'll likely go back to HSBC or Standard Chartered."
"Buying a new ship?" Su Yiyi asked. "Didn't you say second-hand ships are more convenient?"
Yang Wendong replied, "They are more convenient, and we'll still buy used ships, but we're also considering new ones. If we want to grow in the shipping industry, we can't rely solely on old second-hand ships."
Second-hand ships have many limitations, and there aren't many that are both affordable and in good condition. More importantly, the Middle East crisis in '67 is just around the corner. New ships will allow him to take better advantage of the upcoming opportunities.
Su Yiyi nodded. "Oh, I heard that many Hong Kong shipowners buy their ships from Japan."
"I'll probably buy from Japan too," Yang Wendong nodded.
At this time, Japanese ships offered the best value for money—30% to 40% cheaper than European ones. Plus, they were geographically closer, and after-sales service was easier. Japanese banks also participated in financing, but they were cautious with risk and rarely offered full loans. That's why even Hong Kong's shipping tycoons had to rely on local major banks.
"Mhm," Su Yiyi didn't ask any more questions.
She knew well that Yang Wendong had great interest in both real estate and shipping.
Yang Wendong smiled and said, "In a while, I'll probably head to Japan to check out some ships. When that happens, I'll take you all with me for a trip."
"Great!" Su Yiyi readily agreed.
...
The next day, at the Peninsula Hotel:
Yang Wendong met with Ho Sin Hang from Hang Seng Bank and greeted him with a smile, "Mr. Ho, I heard Hang Seng's business has been doing quite well lately?"
"Haha, not bad," Ho Sin Hang replied. "But still a long way behind you, Mr. Yang. You've been all over the news lately."
Yang Wendong replied, "We Chinese-owned companies in Hong Kong have only been able to develop so fast thanks to Chinese banks. Otherwise, who knows how many years it would've taken for us to grow."
That was the truth. Although finance doesn't directly create value, it's still a necessity. Without banks, industries wouldn't be able to develop. Even if Yang Wendong had a money-making idea early on, without startup capital from banks, it would've taken years to build up.
"Mutual benefit—our bank gains too," Ho Sin Hang said, pausing before asking, "Mr. Yang, you were in quite a rush to meet. Are you perhaps looking for a big collaboration with us?"
"That's right," Yang Wendong nodded. "That plot of land at No. 2 Queen's Road—you're aware of it, aren't you?"
"You want to acquire that land?" Ho Sin Hang, a sharp man, asked immediately. "But the government requires that the site be used solely for a hotel. Are you planning to manage the hotel yourself or bring in a foreign company?"
"Does it make a difference?" Yang Wendong countered.
"It does," Ho Sin Hang replied. "If you hire a foreign giant to manage it, there'll be contractual safeguards, and their years of experience make the bank's risk much lower. But if you plan to manage it yourself, we won't have the same level of confidence."
Yang Wendong responded, "Isn't the Peninsula Hotel also managed by the Kadoorie family themselves? And they're doing quite well."
"That's true," Ho Sin Hang admitted. "But that success came from years of operation, and their brand recognition is well-established. It's not the same."
Yang Wendong said, "Then I'll just poach some of their people. That'll take care of the experience issue. As for reputation, I own a media company—promotion won't be a problem."
"Having a media company is definitely an advantage," Ho Sin Hang nodded. "Since you've decided to manage it yourself, I won't press the issue. So, how much of a loan are you looking for?"
Yang Wendong answered, "The final bidding price isn't confirmed yet, so I can't give you an exact number. But I estimate it'll be around HKD 30 million."
"That's nearly 5% of our total deposits," Ho Sin Hang said.
Yang Wendong laughed. "It's quite a sum, sure. But it's 38,000 square feet of prime land on Queen's Road—it's worth that much. I'm very confident about Hong Kong's economic future. Building a large five-star hotel should be a low-risk, profitable investment."
Being a time traveler didn't necessarily give him an edge in hotel operations, but as long as Hong Kong's economy continued booming, with more and more international tourists arriving, it would be hard to lose money in a city with a lack of luxury hotels.
Of course, the real estate crash of '66–'67 didn't count—that was out of anyone's control.
Ho Sin Hang thought for a moment and said, "Mr. Yang, I can agree to a loan covering 70% of the final purchase price, using the land as collateral. But the interest rate still needs internal discussion."
"Fair enough. Big matters like this aren't decided on the spot," Yang Wendong said. "But I do have options from multiple banks. I'll ultimately go with whichever one offers the best terms."
"Understood," Ho Sin Hang nodded.
Get 30% off on my Patreon and enjoy early access to new chapters.
You can also purchase the next 100 chapters of the novel directly from my Patreon page.
Hurry up! The promotion ends on February 2, 2026.
Read 40 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/johanssen10