Chapter 178: The Decision of the Ma Brothers
After hearing Lin Haoran's words, Ma Chengkun froze for a moment. He had guessed that Lin Haoran must have a purpose for visiting. But he truly hadn't expected that Lin Haoran had come with the intention of acquiring Oriental Press Group. This left him at a loss, unsure of how to respond.
Although he had grown up witnessing his elders' boldness in the underworld, times had changed. Now, the Ma family could no longer afford to be reckless. When his father fled Hong Kong, he had warned him sternly to keep a low profile. Thus, Ma Chengkun had been meticulously cautious over the past two years, managing to keep Oriental Daily running smoothly.
Of course, he was just the nominal boss of Oriental Daily. In truth, he knew he lacked business management experience, so he sensibly delegated daily operations to professional managers. If any major issues arose, he would call his father or uncle in Taiwan for advice. Over two years, he had matured significantly.
After a while, Ma Chengkun finally shook his head and said, "Mr. Lin, our Ma family has not considered selling Oriental Press Group."
The Ma family wasn't lacking in money. Their former operations in flour businesses and gambling had earned them massive wealth, far more than many legitimate tycoons. Although most of the gray businesses were now dismantled or taken over by other gangs, and the family had exited, their wealth remained substantial. Much of it, of course, was laundered through legitimate enterprises like Oriental Daily.
"Mr. Ma, I understand your situation hasn't been easy. As far as I know, your family has made plenty of enemies. Even though the ICAC has cracked down hard and many gangs have weakened, not all your enemies are gone. If I were in your shoes, I would worry about my family's safety. Wouldn't it be safer for you to join your father in Taiwan? Business can be done anywhere. Sell Oriental Press Group to me, and you'll have fewer ties here and can focus entirely on building a future alongside your father," Lin Haoran said with a calm smile, fully anticipating that Ma Chengkun would hesitate.
His words struck a chord. Over the past two years, Ma Chengkun had lived in constant fear. He rarely ventured out, spending most of his time shuttling between home and the office. His villa even had a hidden tunnel to ensure a quick escape in case enemies came seeking revenge.
Though the Ma family still clung to hopes of returning to Hong Kong openly one day, keeping control of Oriental Daily was a strategic move — influencing public opinion to gradually whitewash their past. But truly regaining their former status seemed increasingly unlikely. Ma Chengkun, ever dutiful to his father, wanted to keep that hope alive.
Now, he found himself truly conflicted. He knew that aligning with a powerhouse like Lin Haoran could make future operations smoother in Hong Kong. Yet, selling Oriental Daily would be giving up a crucial tool.
"Maybe this is something I should leave for my father to decide," Ma Chengkun thought.
Thus, he said, "Mr. Lin, I'll need to consult with my father about this matter."
"Of course. If possible, you might as well call him now," Lin Haoran suggested, smiling.
Without hesitation, Ma Chengkun walked to his desk and dialed his father's usual contact number in Taiwan. After fleeing Hong Kong in 1978, Ma Xizhen had been arrested in Taiwan for entering with a fake passport and spent a year in prison. Compared to others like Ng Sik-ho (Limpy Ho), who received decades-long sentences, one year was minor. Released only a few months ago, Ma Xizhen was still relatively young — only in his forties — and far from resigned to a life of quiet retirement.
Lin Haoran sat on the sofa, crossing his legs casually, observing the spacious 100-square-meter office without eavesdropping. Despite its size, the decor was simple, not the lavish setup one might expect. The space was divided into a reception area and a working area, reflecting Ma Chengkun's deliberately low-profile lifestyle.
Given the current situation, keeping a low profile was unavoidable for Ma Chengkun. As far as he knew, Oriental Press Group was now the only asset the Ma family still controlled in Hong Kong. Just as Lin Haoran had said, if they sold Oriental Press, the Ma family would have no remaining ties to Hong Kong and could fully retreat to Taiwan.
Meanwhile, in an apartment in Taipei City, some 700-800 kilometers away, Ma Xizhen was on the phone with his son, Ma Chengkun. Hearing that Lin Haoran wanted to buy Oriental Press, Ma Xizhen was also a bit surprised. He hadn't expected that someone would target Oriental Daily.
When the Ma brothers fled Hong Kong, they hadn't brought along the younger generation like Ma Chengkun because they knew their children had no criminal records. Their past offenses were unrelated to the juniors, meaning there was little risk of the younger generation being arrested. Moreover, they had no foundation in Taiwan and couldn't risk bringing the entire family to a place with so much uncertainty. Thus, they had left their families behind in Hong Kong to safeguard the family's future.
After being released from prison, Ma Xizhen had kept a close eye on Hong Kong affairs and was naturally aware of the rising star, Lin Haoran. Such a figure had already surpassed their imagination — a genuine Hong Kong tycoon, a status that every former gang boss had once dreamed of. Unfortunately, once branded a gangster, it was a mark that lasted a lifetime. They were realistic enough to know this.
Learning of Lin Haoran's intentions, even Ma Xizhen hesitated. Should they sell Oriental Press? He knew his son had been living under pressure for the past two years. Their network of influence in Hong Kong had crumbled, old allies had distanced themselves, and many former enemies remained powerful. Throughout his time in prison, he had debated whether to bring his wife and children to Taiwan for safety but hadn't yet made a final decision.
Now that he and his brother had successfully reestablished themselves legally in Taiwan, opening several legitimate businesses with laundered assets, perhaps it was finally time.
"Chengkun, wait a moment. I'll call your uncle to discuss it," Ma Xizhen said after a moment's thought.
"Alright, Dad. I'll wait for your decision," Ma Chengkun replied respectfully.
Leaving the decision to his elders relieved Ma Chengkun of the burden. Managing Oriental Press had been a heavy weight on his young shoulders. With his limited experience, he had always relied on his father's guidance from afar.
Meanwhile, while the two elders deliberated, Ma Chengkun returned to Lin Haoran to explain the situation. Lin Haoran wasn't impatient. He simply continued chatting casually with Ma Chengkun, steering the conversation toward the Ma family's former glory days. As they reminisced, Ma Chengkun's eyes shone brightly with pride — back then, the Ma family had been one of the four great gangs of Hong Kong, a legacy that still stirred strong emotions within him.
After about half an hour, the phone rang again.
Ma Chengkun rushed to answer it.
From the sofa, Lin Haoran observed him nodding repeatedly but couldn't hear the conversation. Despite his calm demeanor, Lin Haoran felt a little tense inside. Would the Ma family agree to sell?
After about ten minutes, Ma Chengkun hung up the phone.
He returned to the sofa, took a deep breath, and said, "Mr. Lin, my father and uncle have discussed it. If you are willing to offer HK$200 million, we will sell Oriental Press Group to you. This price includes the ownership of Changye Building where we are now, as well as our large printing facility in Chai Wan."
Lin Haoran nodded slowly, finally relieved. Before coming, he had thoroughly researched Oriental Press and knew Ma Chengkun wasn't exaggerating. Without the two properties, Oriental Press was worth only a few tens of millions. But factoring in Changye Building and the Chai Wan printing facility, HK$200 million was actually very reasonable.
The Chai Wan property wasn't particularly valuable, but Changye Building alone was easily worth over HK$100 million now — and by year-end, it could be worth HK$200 million.
"Mr. Ma, I'm a straightforward person. I accept your price. However, I hope we can conclude the deal as quickly as possible," Lin Haoran said decisively.
The sooner he acquired Oriental Press, the more at ease he would feel.
Even ignoring the value of the newspaper, just the real estate assets alone made it a profitable investment.
And a year from now, he could expect to see significant returns.
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