Chapter 78: Recruiting a Future Tycoon as a Little Brother
Aimco Limited — wasn't that the future famous Aimco Group?
Lin Haoran hadn't expected that in this small corner of Hong Kong, he would stumble upon the enterprise of the future business giant known as "Big Liu."
Even more surprising was that this company was one of his grandfather's tenants.
To confirm his suspicions, Lin Haoran couldn't suppress his curiosity. He quickly walked into the small workshop.
The interior, though small, was neat and well-organized. His uncle was talking to a young man in a small office.
During the conversation, the young man pulled out a prepared envelope of rent money and politely handed it over.
His uncle accepted the rent, carefully counted it, and then, satisfied, tucked it into his bag.
The young man had a square, strong-looking face, thick eyebrows, and sharp eyes that gleamed with intelligence. A mole near his eyebrows, often called a "wealth mole," gave him an even more remarkable appearance.
Initially, Lin Haoran had only guessed based on the company name and the situation. But seeing the man in person instantly confirmed his speculation beyond any doubt.
Yes, standing before him was Liu Luanzhong — who, decades later, would be a billionaire tycoon commanding respect throughout Hong Kong and the global business world.
But now, he was just a young entrepreneur operating a modest workshop, personally handing over rent money to Lin Haoran's uncle.
It was almost surreal.
Fate was indeed mysterious. Who would have thought this seemingly ordinary young man would one day achieve such extraordinary success?
Lin Haoran looked around. Despite its small size, the workshop was cleverly arranged to accommodate dozens of workers, bustling with activity.
The main production focused on ceiling fans, with semi-assembled fan parts neatly laid out everywhere.
In addition to fans, he noticed stacks of lamps, heaters, and mosquito killers, indicating the company's diversified manufacturing capabilities.
Each worker was fully occupied — polishing, assembling, testing — creating an efficient, small-scale production line.
Seeing such an organized operation in a cramped environment, Lin Haoran couldn't help but admire their professionalism.
He vividly remembered from his past life that Liu Luanzhong had started his fortune in the fan business, amassing wealth of over 100 million Hong Kong dollars within just two or three years.
At the moment, Liu was only 27 years old, still without the aura of dominance he would later exude, making him seem approachable and humble.
An idea suddenly sprang to Lin Haoran's mind — why not take advantage of Liu's potential and business insight to make money together?
He knew the fan industry would boom from 1978 to 1980 in the U.S. market.
Triggered by the global oil crisis, soaring oil prices would lead to widespread economic pressure, with countries worldwide — especially developed ones — embracing energy-saving products.
In this climate, ceiling fans, being energy-efficient compared to air conditioners, would experience soaring demand.
Although Lin Haoran knew the opportunity was there, he lacked experience in the industry and had been hesitant to enter.
But now, with Liu Luanzhong just starting out and likely facing financial strain — evident from the modest factory conditions — Lin Haoran realized a golden opportunity lay before him.
Liu had the expertise and market intuition. Lin Haoran had the capital.
"Haoran, let's go to the next place," his uncle said after collecting the rent, preparing to leave for the next tenant.
"Uncle, you go ahead. I'll walk around here for a bit," Lin Haoran said, waving his hand with a smile.
"Alright, I'll leave you to it," his uncle replied, seeing that his nephew seemed interested in the workshop.
Just as Liu Luanzhong was about to return to the production line, Lin Haoran called out to him.
"Mr. Liu, wait a moment."
Liu turned around, puzzled. "Yes? What can I help you with?"
He didn't know Lin Haoran's identity, but hearing him call the landlord "Uncle" earlier, Liu guessed he must be the landlord's nephew.
"Would you mind if we had a chat in your office?" Lin Haoran asked with a smile.
"Sure, but we'll have to be quick. I need to get back to the line. We're short on workers today," Liu replied, not wanting to offend the landlord's family.
"You're the boss here. Why are you personally working on the line?" Lin Haoran asked curiously.
"Mostly to save labor costs. Wages in Hong Kong aren't cheap. Plus, orders are coming in fast. If I don't pitch in, production slows. This factory is a partnership — not just me. See that guy with glasses over there? That's my partner," Liu explained as he led Lin Haoran toward the small office.
Lin Haoran nodded, choosing not to press further.
The office was tiny — only about ten square meters — separated from the noisy factory floor by thin iron sheets, creating a relatively quiet space.
"Please sit. May I ask your name?" Liu said politely, pulling out a chair.
Lin Haoran smiled, extended his hand, and said, "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Lin Haoran, son of Lin Wanan, Chairman of Wanan Group. I am also currently the Vice Chairman of Qingzhou Cement."
Seeing Lin Haoran extend his right hand, Liu instinctively wiped his own hand on his clothes to show respect before firmly shaking it.
However, as Lin Haoran finished speaking, Liu Luanzhong's face instantly revealed an expression of disbelief. He stared at Lin Haoran, momentarily stunned.
"Vice Chairman of Qingzhou Cement?" Liu Luanzhong repeated, unable to conceal his astonishment.
In Hong Kong, Qingzhou Cement was a household name. As the largest cement producer in Hong Kong, it supplied most of the city's cement needs — whether for private housing construction or major real estate development projects, Qingzhou Cement's products were indispensable.
Naturally, Liu Luanzhong was well aware of the company's reputation.
The identity of being the son of Wanan Group's chairman surprised him somewhat, but it was within expectations. As a tenant of the landlord's property, he had long heard about the relationship between the landlord and Wanan Group, so it wasn't shocking that the landlord's nephew would be from the Lin family.
What truly shocked him was Lin Haoran's position as Vice Chairman of Qingzhou Cement.
"In fact, I was only recently appointed as Qingzhou Cement's Vice Chairman. This was already reported in yesterday's Hong Kong Business Daily," Lin Haoran explained with a calm and confident smile. "If you have any doubts, Mr. Liu, you can check the newspaper when you have time."
At this moment, Liu Luanzhong's attitude towards Lin Haoran changed significantly.
Earlier, he might have regarded Lin Haoran as just another young man slightly younger than himself. Now, there was unmistakable respect in his eyes.
After all, Lin Haoran now held a senior executive position at a well-known publicly listed company, while Liu Luanzhong was merely a small workshop owner.
The disparity in status forced Liu Luanzhong to re-evaluate the young man before him.
"Mr. Lin, you're truly outstanding at such a young age. I admire you," Liu said sincerely.
At that moment, he deeply realized the gap between them and was even more motivated to work harder and narrow that gap.
"So, Mr. Lin, what brings you here today?" Liu asked steadily.
Coming from a wealthy family, Liu had seen his share of the world, and despite Lin Haoran's impressive status, he wasn't nervous — they had no direct business dealings or deep personal ties.
Lin Haoran smiled and said straightforwardly, "Mr. Liu, would you be interested in expanding your production capacity?"
Upon hearing this, a spark lit up in Liu's eyes, and he replied without hesitation, "Of course! I've always wanted to expand and improve efficiency, but reality is harsh. I don't have enough capital to act immediately. However, I believe that with enough time, I can save up, move out of here, and buy land in a proper industrial park to build a large factory!"
"I noticed that despite your modest facility, your workers are highly efficient and organized, which proves your deep understanding and unique insights into the fan industry," Lin Haoran said warmly, "Coincidentally, I am also interested in entering this sector. After seeing the potential of your factory, an idea came to mind."
Lin Haoran leaned forward slightly, his voice sincere. "I propose investing in your company, providing the necessary capital to expand operations. Together, we can seize the golden opportunity in the fan market. Would you be willing to consider it?"
In his past life memories, Lin Haoran knew that Liu Luanzhong had started from such a humble workshop, and within two to three years, he had built up a fortune exceeding HK$100 million — even after sharing profits with his partners.
This clearly proved that the fan industry offered immense profitability and explosive growth potential during this period.
Now, Lin Haoran had the good fortune to meet Liu at the very beginning of his career — a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Liu Luanzhong was a business genius with a keen market sense and exceptional commercial wisdom.
Thus, Lin Haoran had already made up his mind: he would leverage Liu's talent and work together to rapidly expand Aimco Limited, securing a foothold in the lucrative fan market.
Who knows — maybe within two years, he could earn hundreds of millions!
Low investment, high returns — exactly Lin Haoran's favorite kind of business.
Upon hearing Lin Haoran's proposal, Liu felt a wave of joy inside, but reason quickly made him frown.
He understood that this was no trivial decision; it concerned not only his own interests but also those of his partners and the future of their business.
"Mr. Lin, your proposal is indeed very attractive, but this is a very important matter for me," Liu said seriously. "I need to discuss it carefully with my partners. After all, this affects the long-term development of our company. Please give me a little time, and I'll get back to you as soon as possible."
"Of course, Mr. Liu. Take your time," Lin Haoran replied, handing over a finely printed business card. "Here's my contact information. If you decide you're interested or have any questions, feel free to reach out. I firmly believe our cooperation would be a win-win."
Observing Liu's expression carefully, Lin Haoran had already sensed his desire.
After all, for any entrepreneur in the early stages of building a business, external investment meant accelerating their growth and achieving their dreams much faster.
However, Lin Haoran also understood that Liu needed to consult his partners before making such a big decision.
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