Mavi extended his hand, pointing directly at the prime spot in the center of the sand table. Then, he turned to the male sales manager and said, "This building—I'll take it."
The moment his resolute words fell, the manager and all the sales staff standing nearby were completely stunned by Mavi's sheer financial power. Was he buying a building or shopping for groceries at the market? Not even a second thought? Was this really happening? This was simply terrifying...
Unlike the shocked onlookers, Mavi remained unfazed. He casually walked over to the lounge area and waited for the real estate company to handle the paperwork. After all, the finer details would be taken care of by his butler and translator. Being the young master of a wealthy family truly had its perks—effortless and carefree…
"Mr. Mavi, please sign your name here." Once all the procedures were completed, Mavi signed his name on the contract.
To outsiders, it might seem extravagant to spend such a fortune on a building. But Mavi, knowing the future of real estate prices, understood that in just two years—by 2002—property prices in Shanghai, and even across the country, would soar like something straight out of a sci-fi movie, rising at an incomprehensible rate!
Right now, the price was 8,900 yuan per square meter. Within a year, it could increase by 120%, and at its peak, the price could skyrocket by 2,000%!
Fortunately, in the year 2000, there were no restrictions on property purchases, and the government was eager to expand its foreign exchange reserves, clearing the way for foreign investment. Mavi's purchase faced no obstacles—in fact, it even contributed to the country's GDP growth.
Considering that the most expensive building in Shanghai at the time was only $10 million, an amount he could easily earn back in a week from the stock market, Mavi began to wonder…
Should he buy a plot of land for himself? Perhaps build a massive commercial center like Wanda Plaza? Or maybe even construct the most luxurious residential complex in Asia?
The thought stirred a slight excitement in his heart. After all, he had already bought luxury mansions, sports cars, and even weapons—yet he had never ventured into land acquisition. From what he recalled in the news, there were three main ways to acquire land: auction, bidding, and listing.
Among them, land auctions were the most competitive. A group of wealthy real estate developers would gather, and if the location was prime enough, the highest land price record could easily be broken.
"Ivan, find out which land plots in Shanghai are up for sale soon," Mavi casually instructed his butler as he signed the contract.
None of the sales staff present could understand Russian, except for the female translator standing beside him.
After working with Mavi, the translator finally grasped what it meant to be a world-class tycoon. He bought buildings as if he were buying groceries—and not just any buildings, but the most expensive ones, buying them one after another.
And now, as if that wasn't outrageous enough, he was moving on to land purchases?! This level of extravagance was enough to leave anyone utterly speechless…
"Yes, Young Master. I'll reach out to some contacts and inquire," the butler, Ivan, replied without hesitation. The Ma family had strong connections with the Russian consulate in Shanghai.
Initially, Ivan even suggested using the consulate's influence to arrange a police escort for Mavi as he toured Shanghai, but Mavi declined, feeling it was unnecessary. Maybe another time.
Through the consulate's network, Mavi soon learned that several prime plots in Lujiazui and the HP district were scheduled for auction.
According to the auction procedures, he needed to purchase the bidding documents from the Land Bureau, conduct on-site inspections, and submit a formal application within the designated timeframe. The application required a bidding request form, a business license copy, and a real estate development qualification certificate, along with a security deposit.
During his trip to Beijing, Mavi had also established a real estate company to manage his 27 courtyard residences. With that, he met all the requirements for land bidding.
Three weeks later, in Lujiazui, luxury cars arrived one after another at the entrance of the Shanghai International Convention Center. These high-end vehicles were among the most prestigious of that era in China.
For instance, there was a 2000 Audi A6, a BMW 5 Series, a Mercedes-Benz E-Class, an Alfa Romeo 166, and a Jaguar S-Type.
The sight of these luxury cars drew the attention of many tourists in Shanghai, but their wealthy owners remained unfazed, sitting confidently in their vehicles as they waited to arrive at the venue.
The people inside these cars were all real estate moguls in China.
The man arriving in the Audi A6 was Wang Zhengde, president of Greenland Group.
The one in the BMW 5 Series right behind him was Chen Yuliang, president of Gemdale Group.
Before their cars even came to a full stop, another figure stepped out of a Mercedes-Benz E-Class—Li Xingbang, president of Poly Real Estate.
These three men would soon rank among China's top ten real estate developers. Now, they found themselves competing head-to-head at this auction, all for the same golden opportunity—60,000 square meters of prime riverfront land in Lujiazui.
In Shanghai's financial district, where every inch of land was worth its weight in gold, this 60,000-square-meter plot was a developer's dream. Whoever secured it would be set for life.
"Well, well, Mr. Li, Mr. Chen, what brings you two here?" Wang Zhengde, dressed in a sharp suit, stepped out of his car and immediately noticed his two competitors. Clearly, all three men had taken note of each other's presence.
"Haha, I'm just here to check things out, nothing serious," Li Xingbang replied with a polite chuckle. His company, Poly Real Estate, was slightly weaker than Greenland Group at the time, so he didn't dare to appear too aggressive.
Chen Yuliang, whose Gemdale Group was on par with Greenland, jokingly retorted, "What other reason could we have? Are you saying only Greenland Group is allowed to bid? The rest of us aren't?"
Though said in jest, his words made it clear—Gemdale Group had no intention of backing down. If anyone thought they could secure the land uncontested, they were sorely mistaken.
In the world of business, competitors were natural adversaries. That much was true everywhere.
As the three real estate tycoons were busy exchanging words, a silver-gray Porsche Carrera GT suddenly drove into the entrance of the Shanghai International Convention Center.
Its sleek, dazzling body gleamed under the sunlight, capturing everyone's attention.
The three real estate giants had seen their fair share of luxury cars, but a Porsche Carrera GT? At that time, Porsche hadn't even officially entered the Chinese market, and their promotional efforts were minimal.
"This… is that a Porsche? A Carrera GT?"
(End of Chapter)