Traveling back to 1966, starting by living in a cowshed.

Chapter 142 9 Dragons Warehouse Acquisition 4

The following morning, golden sunlight pierced through the thin clouds and fell on the tree-lined avenues of the villa complex where the shipping magnate lived.

A black Rolls-Royce slowly drove across the smooth cement road, its body gleaming like a mirror, reflecting the shadows of the lush camphor trees on both sides.

The car window was half-rolled down, revealing the profile of the man in the back seat...

It was Lin Zhou, who had come to visit the shipping magnate. Today, he was wearing a black suit, gazing calmly at the scenery passing by outside the window, a faint smile playing on his lips.

Sitting in the passenger seat, Chen Man, dressed in a smart white business suit, was holding a folder and quietly reporting the key points of today's negotiations.

"Boss, I've checked the shipping magnate's financial statements three times already."

Currently, their liquidity is sufficient to support our acquisition price per share; however, the shipping industry has been highly volatile recently, and the shipping magnate's cash flow is actually not very abundant.

Lin Zhou nodded slightly, his voice very gentle as he said:

"I know. What we want is not short-term profits, but long-term planning."

Chen Man nodded and said no more.

The driver in the front seat is a veteran member of Zhonghua Security, and his driving skills are very steady.

The Rolls-Royce came to a slow stop outside the ornate iron gates of the shipping magnate's villa at exactly 10:00 a.m.

The car door opened, and Lin Zhou stepped out first, his posture upright and his demeanor composed.

Looking up, I saw that the tightly closed iron gate had slowly opened.

The shipping magnate was standing at the entrance of the villa, followed by several high-ranking executives of the group in suits, clearly waiting there on purpose.

The shipping magnate, who had dominated the business world for decades, wore a clear smile, but his eyes held a hint of scrutiny.

He had assumed that the person who could quietly accumulate 22% of Wharf Holdings' shares must be a seasoned business shrew, at least over fifty years old.

But when he saw Lin Zhou's face clearly, his pupils suddenly contracted, and the smile on his face froze for a moment.

The man in front of me looked to be only in his early thirties.

With firm and confident eyes, a gentle temperament, and a composure beyond his years, he exudes a maturity in every gesture.

Yet, he lacked even a trace of the shrewdness of a seasoned businessman.

At this age, in Hong Kong's business world, most people are still gaining experience under the protection of their parents.

But how could he possibly take charge of a group that could stir up the Kowloon Wharf takeover storm?

The shipping magnate was inwardly turbulent, but he didn't show it on his face at all.

He strode forward, extended his hand, and said in a loud voice, "Mr. Lin, it's an honor to have you here!"

Lin Zhou grasped his hand with just the right amount of strength, and smiled modestly: "You're too kind, Shipping King. I apologize for disturbing your esteemed residence."

The moment their fingertips touched, the shipping magnate's doubts deepened.

He stared at Lin Zhou's face for a long time, feeling that the face was extremely familiar, as if he had seen it somewhere before, but for a moment, he just couldn't remember where.

The feeling of something stuck in his throat made him quite uncomfortable.

During a brief exchange of pleasantries, the shipping magnate couldn't help but frown, and asked, seemingly casually:

"Mr. Lin, please don't be offended, but you look very familiar to me."

"Have we... met somewhere before?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Man, standing behind Lin Zhou, couldn't help but smile.

Lin Zhou chuckled softly, a hint of understanding flashing in his eyes. He didn't keep them in suspense, but gently reminded them:

"The shipping magnate has forgotten? Didn't we go to the mainland together for an inspection not long ago? Several senior business figures from Hong Kong also accompanied us."

"A visit to the mainland?"

The shipping magnate was taken aback at first, then his pupils dilated sharply as long-dormant memories were instantly awakened in his mind.

He remembered!

That happened a month ago.

At that time, the mainland invited a group of well-known Hong Kong entrepreneurs to visit Guangdong and Beijing to investigate the investment environment, and he was one of the invitees.

Among the group, there was indeed a young man who stayed by Old Master Huo's side. He didn't talk much and was very low-key.

At that time, Mr. Huo casually introduced him, saying, "This is Lin Zhou from Zhonghua."

He assumed the young man was a manager at Zhonghua Group, or perhaps Su Wanqing's assistant, who had come along to broaden his horizons and gain experience.

After all, in recent years, Zhonghua Group has made a name for itself in Hong Kong, and it has always been Su Wanqing who has been the one making public appearances.

That Ms. Su was meticulous in every aspect and decisive in her methods, and she had long become a legend in Hong Kong's business world. Over time, everyone tacitly accepted that Su Wanqing was in charge of Zhonghua Group.

And what about Lin Zhou?

He was practically invisible the whole way. He was dressed in simple, ordinary clothes.

He doesn't initiate conversations or interrupt, but simply follows quietly behind the crowd. Occasionally, someone will strike up a conversation with him, and he will only respond politely with a few words.

What was even more impressive was that when the group of entrepreneurs were chatting, someone recognized Lin Zhou and called him "Writer Lin" with a smile, saying that they liked reading his novels.

Back then, the shipping magnate even joined in the fun, secretly marveling at how talented young people these days are, working for large corporations and still finding time to write novels.

He never expected that this young man, whom everyone regarded as an "ordinary manager" and "part-time writer," was actually the real boss of Zhonghua Group!

Thinking of this, Bao Yugang felt his face burning and his heart filled with mixed emotions.

No wonder I can't remember who could connect that low-key and reserved young man with the behind-the-scenes manipulator who holds 22% of Wharf Holdings and stirs up the business world in Hong Kong.

He couldn't help but give a wry smile, shook his head, and his tone was full of amazement.

"I see! I see! Mr. Lin, you are truly... too modest!"

Chen Man, who was standing nearby, added at the opportune moment:

"The shipping magnate may not know this, but our group has always been jointly managed by Mr. Lin and General Manager Su."

However, Mr. Su is more adept at external expansion, while Mr. Lin prefers behind-the-scenes planning.

These words resolved the shipping magnate's last remaining doubts.

The way he looked at Lin Zhou had completely changed.

What began as surprise and scrutiny has now transformed into appreciation and solemnity.

Young and promising, yet unassuming. Holding great power, yet remaining calm and composed.

These young people are far more capable than those arrogant and domineering scions of wealthy families who rely on their family background.

The shipping magnate nodded inwardly, feeling a renewed sense of anticipation for the negotiations.

He turned to the side and made a "please" gesture, his smile becoming even more sincere.

"Mr. Lin, I was blind to your greatness."

Please come in! Let's talk inside. I've specially asked the housekeeper to prepare your favorite dishes..."

The shipping magnate suddenly stopped mid-sentence and smiled somewhat embarrassedly…

"Look at my memory, I don't even know what kind of tea Mr. Lin likes to drink."

Lin Zhou strode into the villa, his steps composed, his voice gentle: "Longjing tea is fine, thank you, shipping magnate."

The group filed in and entered the villa's main living room.

Exquisite tea sets were already prepared in the living room, and a faint aroma of tea filled the air.

After introductions, everyone got to know each other for the first time and then found seats.

At this moment, the shipping magnate sat on the sofa, looking at the calm and composed Lin Zhou across from him, with only one thought in his mind...

This young man is no ordinary person.

This deal might be more interesting than he imagined…

...