EFB Chapter 1 Rebirth in Hong Kong
Chapter 1 Rebirth in Hong Kong
1978, April 2.
Sham Shui Po, Kowloon Peninsula, Sai Yeung Choi Street North.
A newsstand by the roadside.
Gu Yuhan was holding a newspaper and reading it intently.
Rebirth and time travel—plots that only appear in movies, TV dramas, and novels—have actually happened to Gu Yuhan.
To be fair, even though he had been reborn in this young body for several whole days.
Many times, Gu Yuhan still felt that everything in front of him was like an unreal dream.
He just couldn't understand it.
He was a renowned entrepreneur from the 21st century who unexpectedly passed away while attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
How did I end up traveling to Hong Kong Island in 1978, reborn in the body of a young man with the same name as me?
It must be mentioned that his mind also contained a huge, chaotic jumble of memories!
These memories all come from industry leaders who were qualified to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos.
These business tycoons are all top giants in their respective fields.
Each one of them is a top elite standing at the pinnacle of human achievement.
Although the private lives of those bigwigs have been lost, their professional skills, core work experience, and other essential information have been completely preserved.
Moreover, all of these core contents were perfectly integrated into Gu Yuhan's own memories.
This allows the core memories of elites from all walks of life to be categorized like neat files and stored securely in the memory hard drive of their brains, so that they can be retrieved accurately and instantly when needed.
These memories from top elites in various industries truly broadened Gu Yuhan's horizons.
The owners of these memories are all CEOs or core executives of Fortune 500 giants in media, banking, oil, military, internet, heavy industry, automobiles, aviation, and other industries.
In addition, many other top elites from other industries also attended this year's World Economic Forum.
This also allowed Gu Yuhan to obtain their core memories.
Deep within their memories lie their unparalleled professional skills and countless unknown industry secrets, all of which have now fallen into Gu Yuhan's hands.
His brain spent a considerable amount of time sorting through and integrating these complex memories.
So in the first few days after his rebirth, he was in a daze every day.
This also made him afraid to go out, for fear that he might not be clear-headed and cause an accident like a car crash.
Only today has this hazy, disoriented feeling completely dissipated.
Only then did he dare to step out of his house.
As a successful entrepreneur from the 21st century, he also possesses the core memories of so many top elites.
He understands the core value of intelligence and business information better than anyone else.
In this day and age, besides television broadcasting...
The fastest way for people to grasp the pulse of the times is naturally through various timely newspapers and magazines.
That's why he came to this newsstand on the street.
He first reached out and pulled out the Ming Pao newspaper.
As someone who grew up inland.
The most well-known newspaper in Hong Kong is probably this one, founded by the famous martial arts novelist Cha Bao Yi.
The current date is February 2, 1978.
Speaking of which, not long before he transmigrated, he clearly remembered that the author of a Hong Kong variety show novel mentioned the issue of Ming Pao published on Friday, May 6, 1983.
That is, exactly five years later, this ability to foresee the future is naturally one of his biggest trump cards.
Five years later, the newspaper headline featured a bold, eye-catching exclamation mark: "When will house prices stop falling?"
The editorial in that issue listed detailed statistics and data:
"Since the outbreak of the global economic crisis in the late 70s, Hong Kong property prices have fallen for three consecutive years."
"The land price per square foot for industrial land in Kowloon Bay, Kwun Tong District, has fallen from a historical high of HK$360 in December 1980 to HK$21 today, a drop of 93%."
"The land price for high-end commercial and residential sites on South Bay Road in Hong Kong Island has fallen from a peak of HK$1500 per square foot to HK$390 today, a drop of 74%."
"In Happy Valley, Ho Man Tin, Stanley, Victoria Peak, Repulse Bay, the market prices of almost all residential areas in Hong Kong have been halved, with an average drop of 50%."
"The sluggish market and the resulting large number of vacant buildings, coupled with the start of sovereignty negotiations between China and the UK, have led to an uncertain future and a surge in business for immigration companies of all sizes..."
After scanning the contents, Gu Yuhan snorted coldly.
What kind of developed international metropolis is this? Housing prices have plummeted into an abyss, and it looks like it's about to completely collapse. What a load of rubbish!
He then recalled the Sing Tao Daily, known for its financial reporting, noting that the current stock market situation was equally bleak.
「1981年7月本港股市恒生指数攀升至历史最高的1810.2点，年底以1405.8点收官，全年微跌4.6%。」
"In 1982, the Hang Seng Index continued its downward trend, closing at 783.8 points at the end of the year, a sharp drop of 44.2% for the year."
"This year, the stock market has been plagued by the ongoing question of Hong Kong's future, with the Hang Seng Index fluctuating widely between 676 and 970 points."
"When progress is made in Sino-British negotiations, the index rises accordingly; when negotiations reach a stalemate, the index plummets. The trend is volatile and unpredictable. As long as the Sino-British negotiations continue, Hong Kong will have no peace..."
As a seasoned and successful entrepreneur.
Gu Yuhan has not only made various investments, but is also extremely proficient in them.
Upon seeing these reports about the Hong Kong stock market, his mind immediately began to stir.
This stock market crash was a golden opportunity for him to buy at the bottom.
Buying at the bottom requires substantial capital; otherwise, even if you make a profit, the returns will be very limited.
He needs to secure his initial capital before he can make a big splash in the stock market.
He then recalled the left-leaning Hong Kong Commercial Daily, whose editorial today mainly focused on the Hong Kong dollar exchange rate:
Three years ago, the exchange rate of the US dollar to the Hong Kong dollar was 4.976; the following year, the Hong Kong dollar depreciated by 10%, and the average exchange rate fell to 5.589.
"The Hong Kong dollar depreciated by another 8 percent last year, with the average exchange rate falling to 6.086."
"The depreciation has intensified this year. As of yesterday, May 5th, the exchange rate had reached 7.175, a depreciation of over 5%."
"The rampant speculation in foreign exchange has led to soaring prices and panic buying among citizens. The existing floating exchange rate system is clearly outdated, and it is urgent to introduce policies to curb it. If the authorities are helpless in addressing the people's livelihood issues, they should step down and return to their hometowns as soon as possible..."
Gu Yuhan remembered that the novelist wrote that the protagonist flipped through more than a dozen newspapers and found that the front page content was all closely related to the economic situation and Sino-British negotiations.
The only major entertainment news story was about the Miss Hong Kong pageant finals, which were to be held in two days.
The favorite to win this year's championship is Zhang Manyu, a high-achieving student who returned from studying abroad.
The future renowned first Best Actress in Chinese cinema is about to officially enter the entertainment industry.
That year, Hong Kong's economy was in a slump, and the citizens were all anxious and kept a close eye on their wallets.
The stock market is falling.
The housing market has collapsed.
The Hong Kong dollar has depreciated significantly.
In 1983, Hong Kong was at a critical juncture of economic crisis.
only......
Gu Yuhan, whose mind was filled with countless clear directions for the future, knew better than anyone else.
Once the Sino-British negotiations were formally concluded in December 1984, the market would immediately stabilize and rebound.
The development prospects of Hong Kong as a whole are viewed very favorably, which will lead to an explosive economic boom.
Hong Kong's economy did not weaken again until the global stock market crash of 1987.
But the real estate market that year remained as stable as a rock.
Starting next year, Hong Kong property prices will climb to a new level every year, embarking on a super bull market that will last for more than a decade.
......
While reviewing the contents of the 83 newspaper in his mind, Gu Yuhan flipped through the 78 issue of the newspaper in his hand, comparing and extracting the key information. He read with great interest.
The newsstand owner strolled over leisurely, not urging him, and casually stroked a erotic magazine with a voluptuous and explicit cover.
The boss was a burly, fat man with lecherous eyes glued to the magazine pages, unable to look away even for a second.
The cover of the magazine in his hand featured a voluptuous and alluring young woman with dazzlingly white skin, barely covered by a few thin, almost translucent pieces of cloth.
Gu Yuhan couldn't help but glance at her several times, wondering to himself: Who is this girl?
She looked completely unfamiliar; she wasn't one of those female stars who would later become famous in Hong Kong, and he couldn't recall her name no matter how hard he tried.
The portly boss had already caught his gaze out of the corner of his eye. He immediately tossed the magazine in his hand upwards, his stubby fingertips pointing at the woman on the cover, a sly, mischievous grin spreading across his face.
"Hey handsome, do you recognize her? It's Sally, the hottest bombshell from Shaw Brothers!!"
"The erotic drama 'A Dream of Red Mansions,' which was still showing in theaters at the beginning of the year, is incredibly stimulating! The seventh edition even includes her exclusive personal photos. Want a copy?"
Gu Yuhan calmly put down the newspaper in his hand, looked up at the boss, and asked, "Boss, what magazine is this?"
"It's Playboy Hong Kong!"
The shopkeeper slammed the magazine on the counter and began his enthusiastic sales pitch, speaking eloquently:
"Hong Kong's hottest-selling erotic weekly magazine, only five dollars for you! The talented writer Ni Kuang, under the pseudonym Hung Sang, serializes his explosive erotic novel 'The Prodigal Son Soars High' in the third edition. I guarantee you'll be thoroughly entertained!"
"Ni Kuang? A great talent like him actually writes this kind of lewd novel? Tch..." Gu Yuhan curled his lip in disdain.
"As long as the payment is right, what can't people write? You can't put food on the table!" The boss's words were straightforward and insightful.
"Five dollars is too expensive, I'll only buy it for five cents!" Gu Yuhan started bargaining as soon as he opened his mouth.
"Five cents? That's not even enough to buy a cover! Handsome, I think you're good-looking and have an extraordinary air about you. You need Sister Sally to cultivate your taste."
"I'll give you an exclusive deal, only four yuan and eighty cents! Just four yuan and eighty cents! Sally's exclusive photo album is yours!"
"Cultivate your mind? Boss, with such a good speaking voice, why don't you go host 'Enjoy Yourself Tonight' on TVB?" Gu Yuhan was amused and laughed out loud.
Before the boss could reply, he glanced at the boss's wobbly body and continued to joke with a smile:
"Honestly, with your auspicious appearance, you and Lydia Shum are a match made in heaven. I think it's a shame you're not a comedy star. A future superstar, how about we further reduce the discount for your current die-hard fans?"
"Die-hard? Just for those two words, I'll give you a 20 cents discount, four dollars and sixty cents!" the boss shouted, patting his chest.
"Erase the four!"
"Go to hell! I'll sell it to you at the original price!"
You son of a bitch.
Shouldn't magazines be sold at their listed price?
Gu Yuhan inwardly scorned the boss's heartlessness, then turned and walked away.
Are you kidding me? What's so interesting about a mere erotic magazine?
Now that I've been reborn in 1978, the golden age when Hong Kong's splendor was just beginning to unfold, what magazines do I need to read?
Why not just find the real person?
With the skills he possessed before his rebirth, plus the incredible cheat code that God specially bestowed upon him after his rebirth...
Tsk tsk tsk... He captured all those stunning beauties who would later become famous in Hong Kong.
It's not a difficult thing at all!
Of course, more importantly, his father, Gu Zhenguo, is a native of Hong Kong and the head of the Sunshine Group.
His businesses cover multiple sectors including investment and finance, real estate development, and physical manufacturing plants, and his net worth is a substantial amount of over one billion Hong Kong dollars.
grass……
The moment Gu Yuhan finished processing this information, he couldn't help but be slightly taken aback.
With a net worth of over a billion, this is the wealth he couldn't accumulate in his previous life, no matter how hard he tried and how much he toiled. In his previous life, he only managed to save up four or five hundred million in assets. Now, this start has already surpassed the results of most of his life's hard work in his previous life.
Moreover, he knew perfectly well that it was 1978.
In 1978, HK$1 billion was a fortune. Looking at the whole of Hong Kong, even Li Ka-shing, who is currently very successful, had a net worth of about the same level.
But the one who truly stood at the top of Hong Kong's business world during that era was the renowned shipping magnate.
As long as their businesses can take advantage of the times and operate well, the Gu family's size in the future will at least be on par with the four major families in Hong Kong.
After quickly sorting through the information in his mind, Gu Yuhan accepted the fact that he had been reborn almost instantly.
Even if he's not among the very top-tier rich kids, his current status definitely places him at the very top of the pyramid.
December 1978.
The second oil crisis had not yet fully begun, and Li Ka-shing had not yet launched the acquisition plan of Hutchison Whampoa that shocked Hong Kong.
Chance……
call!
Not long after, Gu Yuhan returned to his mansion.
He stretched his muscles and bones thoroughly, then walked to the private gym next to the room and began to exercise.
Whether it was his past self or the original owner of this body, Gu Yuhan has always maintained the good habit of regular exercise.
Even this villa has a fully equipped private gym.
Gu Yuhan was already extremely familiar with all kinds of fitness movements and training methods.
He has always insisted on regular exercise.
But today, after just a few simple exercises, Gu Yuhan was surprised to find that he could clearly feel his physical fitness improving after doing just a few sets of basic movements.
The feeling of improvement was exceptionally clear, as if my physical fitness had actually increased with each set of training.
The feedback was exactly like leveling up in a game.
After an hour of training, Gu Yuhan washed up and sat down at the dining table in the restaurant. Sitting opposite him were his father and mother.
His father, Gu Zhenguo, is only in his early forties, and his mother, Zhong Hong, has just turned thirty-eight.
If I had to describe them in four words, it would be "young and vigorous".
However, although his father was very wealthy, he left almost no name in the history of Hong Kong's business world. When it comes to the four major families of Hong Kong or the shipping magnates, the Gu family has never had a place.
This is actually quite normal. After all, not everyone can do what the four major families did and seize every opportunity of the times.
Only a very small number of people can truly seize the opportunities of the times and ride the waves to the top.
Putting aside other things, just this year, Li Ka-shing has had the opportunity to go to the capital, but his own father can't even find such a way.
The shipping magnate also got this opportunity.
My father was a true self-made man. At the age of twelve, he dared to take risks and engage in smuggling, risking his life to transport penicillin to the mainland. At fourteen, he started a contract manufacturing business, and by the age of seventeen, he had already amassed a considerable fortune.
In 1967, when my father was 29 years old, the Hong Kong real estate market experienced a crash. He bet his entire fortune on the real estate industry, and it was this gamble that led him to officially transform into a real estate developer.
My father's net worth is now over a billion. As long as nothing major goes wrong, it's not difficult for these assets to grow to over 10 billion in another 35 years.
Although there is no official rich list in Hong Kong yet, my father's wealth is definitely not much less than that of Li Ka-shing today.
Unfortunately, my father's business empire stopped there. If he had gone a few more steps and seized a few more opportunities, his future achievements would definitely have surpassed Li Ka-shing's.
Her mother, Chung Hung, was the apple of the eye of a Hong Kong triad boss, and she took a liking to her father, who was daring and enterprising, at first sight.
My father reluctantly agreed to the marriage, after all, my mother's appearance was one of the most beautiful and charming in Hong Kong.
In the years since their marriage, relying on the Gu family's businesses and the influence of her mother's family's social organizations, they have gradually embarked on the path of laundering their money.
Gu Yuhan's thoughts suddenly drifted away. He clearly remembered that in the future, Li Ka-shing acquired Hutchison Whampoa for very little money, only 20 million US dollars, completing the feat of a snake swallowing an elephant, swallowing Hutchison Whampoa, which was worth more than one billion US dollars.
Since Li Ka-shing has been able to achieve this level, the Gu family's strength is no less than his, and they may well be able to get a share of this feast, or even directly take over Hutchison Whampoa.
However, the most important thing right now is to start with Wharf Holdings.
"dad!"
Gu Yuhan suddenly looked up and asked his father, "How's business lately?"
"Yo ho!"
Gu Zhenguo looked up at Gu Yuhan with a surprised expression, and said with a smile, "Son, has the sun risen in the west today? Why are you suddenly concerned about the family business?"
"I'm eighteen already!" Gu Yuhan shrugged, speaking with an air of entitlement, "What, can't I even be a little concerned about the family business?"
"Business is pretty good!" Gu Zhenguo didn't want to spoil his son's mood, after all, it was rare to see Gu Yuhan so concerned about the family business, so he smiled and asked, "Then tell me, what's the most profitable industry in Hong Kong right now?"
"Real estate," Gu Yuhan answered without hesitation.
Upon hearing this, Gu Zhenguo immediately became interested and said with a smile, "And then there's the manufacturing industry. Your old man has recently taken on an OEM order for Japanese semiconductor radios. These things are selling like hotcakes right now, sales are soaring, and there's also a huge demand from Hong Kong residents!"
"I don't think so!"