Chapter 363: Investing in the Future Four Major Families
After confirming that both of his wives were pregnant, everything that followed became relatively straightforward. With a quick word to the household assistant, all necessary arrangements would be properly handled.
That evening, everyone gathered at the Yang residence for dinner. Bai Yujie took the opportunity to bring up the matter of low-interest student loans for underprivileged students. Since Yang Wendong was in a great mood and found no major issues with the proposal, he readily agreed.
"Yujie, if you have some free time in the coming days, spend more time with your sister," Yang Wendong said after signing the documents. "My staff can take care of most things, but now that she's pregnant, she won't be able to accompany the child for long periods. Since you look just like her, you can come over and play more often."
"So now I'm free labor?" Bai Yujie said with a laugh. "I don't want to be exploited by capitalists for nothing."
Yang Wendong grinned. "It's not like you're short on money. How about this—I've got a bunch of cars. You can pick one to use for work. I heard you're still biking to your job?"
Though the Bai family's wealth couldn't compare to the Yang family's, they certainly weren't poor. Money wasn't really an issue, and even when their children sought jobs, it wasn't because they needed the income—it was to stay productive.
"You knew about that?" Bai Yujie raised an eyebrow and thought for a moment. "Alright, but I want something modest. Your cars are all luxury brands, that's not really appropriate."
Yang Wendong thought for a moment and said, "Actually, I still have a Ford I bought when I first started my business. You can use that."
"A Ford? That works," Bai Yujie said with a smile.
"Alright then, I'll have someone service and inspect it thoroughly before handing it over. And with that license plate, it'll be more convenient for you to come to my place too," Yang Wendong added.
"Mm~"
Knowing he had two more children on the way—even though he didn't yet know their genders—filled Yang Wendong with joy.
After staying home for a few more days, on October 20th, Yang Wendong returned to work. Business was just as important as family—he needed both to thrive.
After reviewing the reports from various subsidiaries, he saw that everything was progressing steadily. Nothing stood out as problematic. In fact, most business lines, apart from real estate, were experiencing year-on-year growth of 20–50%.
Knock knock knock~ A knock came at the door.
"Come in," Yang Wendong said. When he saw who it was—Zheng Zhijie—he gestured, "Come, have a seat."
"Thank you, Mr. Yang," Zheng Zhijie said as he sat down. "Mr. Yang, Li Zhaoji and Kwok Tak-seng have agreed to accept our investment. However, they'd like to meet you in person. What do you think?"
"Oh? How much of their company are they willing to let us invest in?" Yang Wendong set down his documents and asked.
A few months earlier, due to uncertainties in the future real estate market, Yang Wendong had ordered Changxing Real Estate to start scaling back their land acquisition strategy. As a result, they now held considerable cash reserves. Though there were ways to circumvent Taiwan's laws for investment, it wasn't the proper channel, and the scale of capital would be limited.
Thus, investment became the logical path forward—but not just any investment. The key was to focus on the future. That's why Yang Wendong had his eye on what would become Hong Kong's Four Great Families. Among them, Li Zhaoji and Kwok Tak-seng were the most suitable candidates for early investment.
Coincidentally, the two had previously co-founded a company named Wing Tai Properties. Then, earlier this year, they restructured and established a new company—what would eventually become Sun Hung Kai Properties.
"They're offering 20% of Sun Hung Kai's shares," Zheng Zhijie replied.
"Twenty percent?" Yang Wendong thought for a moment. He recalled that about ten years later, Li Zhaoji would split off and go independent.
Still, even after that, with Kwok Tak-seng at the helm, Sun Hung Kai would remain one of Hong Kong's top giants. As for Li Zhaoji, he could be dealt with separately later. And besides, Yang Wendong's presence in this era could alter the course of business history in Hong Kong—it was hard to say how things would play out.
"They want to meet you to discuss future cooperation and hear your views on the real estate sector," Zheng Zhijie added.
"Alright, set up the meeting. I'm free the next few days," Yang Wendong nodded.
He was genuinely curious to meet two of the future founders of Hong Kong's top families, especially Li Zhaoji.
Despite all the hype surrounding Li Ka-shing in his previous life, Li Zhaoji's wealth wasn't far behind. In fact, the difference was minimal. He simply kept a much lower profile. Though he was known as the "Warren Buffett of Asia," he could walk down the street in Hong Kong and hardly be recognized.
"I'll arrange it," Zheng Zhijie said.
Two days later, in a meeting room at Changxing Tower, Yang Wendong met with the two future business titans—Li Zhaoji and Kwok Tak-seng.
"Mr. Li, Mr. Kwok," Yang Wendong greeted warmly, offering a handshake.
"Mr. Yang, nice to meet you," the two replied, somewhat flattered by his courtesy.
"Please, have a seat," Yang Wendong gestured.
"Thank you," they said, taking their seats. An assistant asked them what they'd like to drink and went off to prepare it.
After some casual conversation, Yang Wendong got down to business. "So, regarding my investment in Sun Hung Kai—if you have any questions, feel free to ask. We're not here to sign anything today, but we can finalize some key points."
Li Zhaoji and Kwok Tak-seng exchanged glances. Then Li Zhaoji asked, "Mr. Yang, our company isn't that large yet. Why did you choose to invest in us?"
Yang Wendong smiled and replied, "True, you're not large yet. But what I'm investing in is your capability. Six months ago, I had my team research all the major Chinese real estate companies in Hong Kong. Yours stood out.
You started in 1958 and have achieved remarkable results with multiple projects. The fact that you've now founded Sun Hung Kai is a direct result of your five years of hard work. I'm betting on your potential."
That much was true. Around the beginning of the year, Yang Wendong had tasked his people with thoroughly researching all the notable Chinese real estate firms in Hong Kong and organizing the data for review.
First, he wanted to identify companies with strong future potential. Second, it served as due diligence for his plans to invest in multiple real estate ventures.
It would have been absurd to invest without preparation.
"Thank you for the praise, Mr. Yang," Li Zhaoji said with a smile. "But we're still far behind you."
Yang Wendong replied modestly, "Everyone has their strengths. Frankly, when it comes to real estate operations, I might not match your expertise. That's one of the reasons I want to invest—not just financially, but to learn from you in management as well."
As a time traveler, Yang Wendong knew exactly when the real estate bull and bear markets would occur. That gave him a massive edge.
But that didn't guarantee he could maximize profits. Even with insider knowledge of future trends, if you didn't understand the nuances of real estate operations, you couldn't capitalize fully.
For example, from the early 2000s onward, China's housing prices were expected to keep rising for two decades. Yet only a few companies were able to scale nationally. That gap came down to management and operational ability.
It was the same in today's Hong Kong. Many British-owned firms believed in the market's potential but didn't know how to operate. They eventually had to partner with local Chinese companies—like Wheelock, Swire Properties, and Hongkong Electric.
"We're also very open to cooperating with you," Li Zhaoji said. Then he hesitated before adding, "Mr. Yang, I've noticed that Changxing Real Estate has been less aggressive in acquiring land lately. May I ask—is it because you and Mr. Zheng don't have much confidence in the market's future?"
"Are you not confident either?" Yang Wendong countered.
Kwok Tak-seng nodded. "Yes. We've calculated that since 1958, property prices have increased by roughly three times—and in some areas, even five times. That's far beyond the average person's spending power.
The problem is, we're unsure. There's still a constant influx of overseas and local capital into the market, so we can't tell exactly when the bubble might burst."
"So you think the market will eventually face issues—but not yet?" Yang Wendong asked.
"Correct," Li Zhaoji confirmed.
Yang Wendong smiled. "Is that why you've recently shifted focus to industrial real estate?"
"Yes," Li Zhaoji replied. "Industrial property is tied not just to land, but to industry itself. Hong Kong's industrial sector is doing very well right now. So even if commercial property takes a hit, the demand in industry will keep prices stable."
"That's a smart move," Yang Wendong nodded. "I see it the same way. After five years of growth, the Hong Kong property market is already at a high point. But it might last another year or two. Economic trends always have a certain momentum."
Once prices reach a certain level, experienced analysts can spot trouble in the macro data. But the real challenge lies in timing your exit.
In his previous life, a certain real estate tycoon in mainland China predicted a market slowdown as birth rates declined. He made a clean break from many projects and held onto only the core assets.
Meanwhile, another trillion-level developer went all in—and destroyed themselves.
Timing was everything.
"In that case," Kwok Tak-seng said, "I suppose Sun Hung Kai should revise its development strategy for the coming year."
"If it's just short-term, high-yield projects, I think you're still good for next year," Yang Wendong replied. "You can make a profit and then hold onto the cash to wait for future opportunities.
But that's just my suggestion. You'll have to decide for yourselves."
While history originally played out a certain way, Yang Wendong's involvement changed the equation. Theoretically, his presence shouldn't drastically alter things—but who could say for sure?
Kwok Tak-seng nodded. "Understood. We'll think it over carefully. By the way, Mr. Yang, if you become a shareholder, you'll be entitled to a board seat. If you have any thoughts on company development, you can always share them with us."
"I'll take the board seat," Yang Wendong said with a smile. "I'll assign someone to represent me. I usually won't interfere with operations, just keep me updated."
For a smaller company like Maxim's Caterers, Yang Wendong might invest but wouldn't pay it much mind.
But Sun Hung Kai was different—this was a future trillion-dollar behemoth. They might even collaborate on major projects in the future. So it was essential for him to stay in the loop—especially to avoid potential pitfalls. Even the most respected companies could be vulnerable to real estate crashes.
"Alright. I'll prepare the company documents," Kwok Tak-seng said. "Once we agree on valuation, we can proceed with the investment."
"Sounds good."
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