Chapter 433 The Tycoons' Confusion: Who Is Behind the Scenes?
After finishing his conversation with Ma Shimin, Lin Haoran calmly hung up the phone.
The acquisition of Hong Kong Telephone Company was progressing extraordinarily smoothly, but it was all within Lin Haoran's expectations, so he did not appear overly excited.
Gently setting down the receiver, Lin Haoran walked over to the balcony, resting against the railing as he gazed out at the magnificent cityscape of Chicago.
Although Chicago's downtown area wasn't vast, its dense cluster of towering skyscrapers was an awe-inspiring sight.
Beyond the city center, neatly arranged low-rise residential areas stretched into the distance, offering a broad and soothing view.
Moreover, the nearby Lake Michigan, with its vast, ocean-like expanse, added another layer of breathtaking beauty to the scenery.
According to his plan, he had already instructed his staff to book a flight from Chicago to Hong Kong for the next morning.
This meant he intended to spend just one more day in the U.S. before returning home.
His primary objectives for this trip had largely been accomplished.
From now on, Global Investment Company would continue working quietly, gradually accumulating shares in companies like Coca-Cola, Intel, Citibank, Chevron, ExxonMobil, and others.
His goal was to transform Global Investment Company into a firm focused on angel investing.
In the future, these companies would provide him with massive dividends, and their stock prices would multiply by thousands or even tens of thousands of times!
As for Apple, he could wait until the late 1990s to reinvest—there was no rush.
Knowing which companies would have bright futures, he didn't need to intervene prematurely.
Launching an acquisition could disrupt their natural development paths and ultimately alter their destinies.
Sometimes, lying low and earning steadily through prudent investments was also a form of achievement.
Not everything needed to be done through aggressive takeovers.
In contrast, his approach in Hong Kong would be very different.
That was his stronghold—it must remain firmly under his control.
Only by doing so could his influence in Hong Kong steadily grow.
In another life, Hong Kong had been dominated by the "Half-City Li" (referring to Li Ka-shing).
In this world, perhaps it would be called the "Half-City Lin."
Standing on the balcony, Lin Haoran's gaze was profound, as if he could see far beyond the horizon into the distant future.
Later that day, Lin Haoran and his bodyguards toured Chicago, taking in the sights of America's third-largest city.
Everything went smoothly without any incidents.
Time passed quickly, and soon it was morning again.
Lin Haoran and his team arrived at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport.
Since there were no direct flights from Chicago to Hong Kong, they needed to transit through Los Angeles.
Given Los Angeles' large Chinese community, flights to Hong Kong departed almost daily.
Standing at the terminal, watching the planes outside through the glass windows, Lin Haoran suddenly felt it was time to buy a private jet.
He had already considered it during his last trip to the U.S. for gold futures trading.
However, after returning to Hong Kong and traveling less, he had shelved the idea.
Now, standing in the hustle and bustle of the airport, the thought resurfaced vividly.
With his assets growing exponentially, security was becoming a significant concern.
There might be people targeting his wealth already.
Flying on commercial airlines made it easy for others to track his travel plans.
Owning a private jet would provide him with absolute privacy and greatly enhance his security.
Although he didn't travel frequently, there would always be crucial moments when such a resource was indispensable.
Moreover, his trusted lieutenants—like Ma Shimin, Burton, Chen Shoulin, and Cui Zilong—were now actively expanding into international markets, frequently traveling between Singapore, Japan, the U.S., and Europe.
A private jet wouldn't just serve him—it would benefit his entire leadership team, ensuring they traveled in comfort and arrived energized for work.
Thus, he decided: once back in Hong Kong, he would have Ma Shimin handle it.
There was no need for a giant airliner—a long-range midsize private jet would suffice.
Now that Jardines Matheson had been successfully privatized and was entirely his personal asset, it was only natural to use company resources for such arrangements.
After all, as the owner, he had every right to allocate resources to meet reasonable needs.
The plane roared skyward, swiftly climbing above the clouds.
Seated comfortably in first class, Lin Haoran took one last glance at Chicago's cityscape and the endless Lake Michigan through the window.
Then he lowered the window shade, put on an eye mask, and prepared for the more than twenty-hour journey ahead.
His bodyguards were scattered among the nearby seats, ensuring complete security—nearly the entire first-class cabin had been booked.
This arrangement allowed Lin Haoran to rest assured and enjoy the flight in peace.
As the plane cruised steadily, Lin Haoran soon drifted into sleep.
Meanwhile, back in Hong Kong, a new day had arrived.
Saturday morning brought fresh headlines in all the major newspapers: Hong Kong Commercial Daily, Hong Kong Economic Times, Finance Daily, and the popular Oriental Daily News all featured shocking reports about yesterday's events at Hong Kong Telephone Company.
The stock had been fiercely attacked by unknown forces, causing a massive stir in the market.
Society at large was desperate to know—who was behind it all?
Hong Kong Telephone Company was no ordinary firm.
At its peak, it had nearly broken into the top ten listed companies in Hong Kong.
Although its ranking had slipped somewhat in recent years due to the real estate boom and the rise of new enterprises, it remained an influential and iconic company.
In Hong Kong, nearly everyone knew its name.
Thus, the combination of yesterday's investor gossip and today's explosive newspaper coverage quickly drew widespread public attention.
After all, with a market cap close to HK$3 billion, Hong Kong Telephone Company was seen as a heavyweight pillar of the economy.
People throughout the city speculated about the hidden story behind the stock market turmoil.
At the headquarters of Cheung Kong Holdings in the Chinese Commercial Building, Li Jiacheng sat in his office, frowning deeply as he read the morning paper.
It wasn't that he had any interest in acquiring Hong Kong Telephone Company.
As a real estate magnate, Li Jiacheng preferred companies with vast land reserves and undervalued assets—like Green Island Cement, Hongkong Electric Holdings, or even Jardines Matheson itself.
A communications company like Hong Kong Telephone didn't fit his investment criteria—it had little land value and focused solely on telecommunications services.
Still, the article stirred his vigilance.
Hong Kong was small.
Hong Kong Telephone Company was significant.
Someone targeting it implied a potential shift in Hong Kong's business landscape.
Now, as the powerful leader of Hutchison, Li Jiacheng's status had risen considerably.
He, too, wanted to know who was behind the scenes.
Was it Lin Haoran?
The young man's image flashed into his mind.
Over the past two years, Lin Haoran had earned a reputation as an acquisition maniac.
Green Island Cement, Hongkong Electric Holdings, Kowloon Motor Bus, Hong Kong and China Gas Company, Jardines Matheson—one major firm after another had fallen into Lin Haoran's hands.
Could it really be him again?
But according to his information, Lin Haoran was in the U.S., having been away for over half a month.
If he wasn't even in Hong Kong, it didn't make sense for him to be orchestrating this.
Still, if it wasn't Lin Haoran, then who?
Li Jiacheng rubbed his temples in frustration.
Without concrete intelligence, he couldn't figure it out.
At the same time, other Hong Kong business heavyweights like Shen Bi, Simon Keswick, and Chan Songqing were also puzzled.
Who was targeting Hong Kong Telephone Company?
Who was the shadowy mastermind?
Hong Kong's elite circles were small.
They called each other, seeking information—but no one had any clues.
The secrecy of this operation was extraordinary—no leaks, no hints.
The upheaval surrounding Hong Kong Telephone Company continued to grow.
And Lin Haoran—the true orchestrator—was still fast asleep high above the Pacific, blissfully unaware of the storm he had unleashed back home.
When he awoke, the plane had already landed smoothly at Los Angeles International Airport for a transit stop.
Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he looked out at the bustling airport and felt a strange, quiet sense of anticipation.
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