Chapter 95: Visiting Bao the Shipping King
Lin Haoran stayed at Qingzhou Cement until six o'clock in the evening, then left the company with Li Weiguo and Li Weidong.
Tonight, he had no intention of staying at Huanyu Investment Company in Hengfeng Building. Instead, he had Li Weiguo drive him back to the Deep Water Bay villa district.
He had already arranged a visit to Bao Yugang's home, and naturally, he couldn't break the appointment.
Before heading over, he specifically stopped by a famous tea shop nearby and selected a beautifully packaged box of West Lake Longjing tea.
He knew that Bao Yugang neither drank alcohol nor smoked.
Given that, tea from Zhejiang Province was the perfect gift.
After all, bringing a thoughtful gift when visiting someone's home was an essential courtesy — a sign of respect and importance.
After entering the Deep Water Bay neighborhood, Lin Haoran didn't go straight to Bao's mansion.
Instead, he first returned briefly to the Lin family villa.
The two homes were only about 200 meters apart — a few minutes' walk. It was still too early to show up.
"Haoran, you're back! Why didn't you call ahead? I'll tell the kitchen to prepare a few extra dishes," Lin Haoran's mother said, beaming with joy when she saw him.
Lin Haoran's recent success as Chairman of a listed company filled her with immense pride.
Now, she shone even brighter in social circles — not only was her husband a well-known chairman, but her son too was now head of a listed firm.
She had also learned from the news that her son's achievement — being the first Chinese to acquire a British-listed company — was historic.
"Mom, no need to prepare food for me. I'm going to visit Mr. Bao Yugang's home for dinner tonight. He invited me," Lin Haoran explained, waving his hand.
Hearing this, his mother nodded seriously.
"Alright. Visiting Mr. Bao is no small matter.
Did you prepare a proper gift?
You mustn't show up empty-handed."
She knew exactly who Bao Yugang was and understood the significance of this visit.
"Don't worry, Mom. I've already prepared something appropriate," Lin Haoran said with a smile.
At 6:45 p.m., he checked his watch one last time.
Then, accompanied by his two bodyguards, he left home carrying the carefully prepared box of Longjing tea.
Even though Bao's house was close, it was getting dark. For safety, he still brought bodyguards.
He recalled that in his previous life, he had heard stories of Li Jiacheng's son being kidnapped near Deep Water Bay by Zhang Ziqiang's gang, extorting HK$2 billion.
Clearly, even in such an elite district, absolute safety couldn't be taken for granted.
Shortly after Lin Haoran left, Lin Wanan returned home.
Seeing his son's Mercedes parked in the driveway but no sign of Haoran, he asked, puzzled,
"Where's Haoran? His car's outside."
"He came home but went back out again — said he had an appointment with Mr. Bao Yugang and was invited to have dinner at Mr. Bao's house," his wife explained.
"Oh?
Meeting Bao Yugang?" Lin Wanan repeated in a low voice, his heart swelling with complicated emotions.
He knew very well Bao Yugang's status — not just in Hong Kong but across the global Chinese business world.
Bao was revered as the "King of the Seas" and the undisputed richest Chinese businessman of his time.
Compared to Bao, Lin Wanan considered himself merely a local wealthy man.
The gap was enormous.
Despite being neighbors for over a decade, Lin Wanan's relationship with Bao had never gone beyond polite greetings.
Their companies had never even done business together.
Now, his son had been personally invited to Bao's home — and to dinner no less.
This clearly showed that Bao Yugang held his son in high regard.
He couldn't help feeling emotional — a proud sense that the younger generation was surpassing the old.
The 200-meter walk to Bao's villa took less than three minutes.
A servant greeted them and quickly went inside to announce their arrival.
Soon, Bao Yugang himself came out to welcome them.
"Uncle Bao, this is just a small token of my appreciation — a little something to show my respect," Lin Haoran said warmly, presenting the box of Longjing tea.
"Haoran, you're too polite!
Neighbors shouldn't bother with gifts," Bao Yugang said cheerfully as he accepted the tea with a smile.
Then he glanced at the label and exclaimed in surprise:
"Eh? How did you know I love Longjing tea?"
"I heard you don't smoke or drink, Uncle Bao.
I thought tea might be appropriate, and since you're from Zhejiang, I guessed Longjing would be your favorite," Lin Haoran explained with a modest smile.
"Haha! You're a thoughtful young man.
And you guessed exactly right. I do love Longjing!
Come, don't just stand here. Dinner is ready. Bring your two brothers as well," Bao said, looking kindly at Li Weiguo and Li Weidong.
The two bodyguards looked at Lin Haoran, awaiting his cue.
"Come on in.
Since Uncle Bao has invited you, join us," Lin Haoran said with a smile.
And so, all four entered Bao's home together.
The atmosphere at Bao's villa was similar to the Lin family's — quiet and low-key.
In the dining room, only Mrs. Bao sat at the table.
Their daughters and sons-in-law were all living independently now.
"Hello Auntie, I'm Lin Haoran," Lin Haoran introduced himself politely upon entering, his manners impeccable.
Bao Yugang and Lin Wanan were of the same generation, so addressing them as Uncle and Auntie was perfectly natural for Lin Haoran.
"Haoran, please have a seat.
I hope the food suits your taste," Mrs. Bao said gently with a warm smile.
The table was already laden with steaming dishes, the aromas tantalizing.
"Just looking at it makes my mouth water.
I've never really tried authentic Zhejiang cuisine before — tonight's a real treat," Lin Haoran said sincerely.
Half an hour later, Bao Yugang and Lin Haoran moved to the study to enjoy tea and conversation.
As Bao prepared to brew the tea, Lin Haoran quickly stood up and said,
"Uncle Bao, you're my elder. Let me make the tea."
With practiced ease, he brewed the West Lake Longjing tea, filling the study with its fragrant aroma.
The two men sipped their tea and naturally drifted into deeper conversation.
"Haoran, I'm curious —
what made you suddenly interested in acquiring Qingzhou Cement?
As far as I know, your father's Wanan Group is focused mainly on real estate," Bao asked, his eyes gleaming with curiosity.
Lin Haoran smiled and explained:
"Uncle Bao, the company you're about to acquire — Wharf Holdings —
is now famous for its real estate and commercial properties, from office rentals to the ongoing Harbor City development.
But originally, Wharf Holdings' main business was port logistics.
Their pivot to real estate shows how important the property market is right now.
Cement is fundamental to real estate and infrastructure.
It's indispensable.
I was drawn to Qingzhou Cement not only because of its stable profits but also because it owns an extremely valuable piece of land in Hung Hom.
In the long run, I plan to move the cement production elsewhere and redevelop that prime land into high-end commercial properties — optimizing the company's resources."
Bao Yugang listened carefully, nodding in approval.
The two continued chatting in a warm and relaxed atmosphere, discussing Hong Kong's future trends and opportunities.
Though Lin Haoran wasn't a seasoned veteran like Bao, his answers — backed by memories from his previous life — were sharp and insightful.
The more they talked, the more impressed Bao became.
A young man with such vision and achievement at such a young age — truly rare.
Bao couldn't help but think:
This young man's future is limitless.
He might even surpass me someday.
As the conversation deepened, Lin Haoran sensed the perfect moment to raise his real question.
"Uncle Bao, you've been in business for so many years and have unparalleled experience.
I have some questions and would deeply appreciate your advice," Lin Haoran said with a sincere smile.
"Oh? What topic has you so intrigued?" Bao asked, intrigued.
"Recently, I've been paying close attention to the Middle East —
especially the Pahlavi dynasty.
Large-scale protests against the regime seem to be spiraling out of control.
Given Iran's crucial role in global oil supply,
I'm curious:
if the situation worsens, could it trigger a new oil crisis?
After all, any tremor in the oil market sends shockwaves through the entire global economy," Lin Haoran explained clearly.
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