Chapter 582: Hong Kong Electric Lamp

After taking a bite of fish, Bao Yugang sighed with admiration as he looked at Xia Yu. "Xia Yu, I have to hand it to you. This year, you've scooped up the cream of the crop of university graduates in Hong Kong all by yourself. If you keep this up every year, in ten years, other companies in Hong Kong will face a talent shortage. Who could possibly compete with you then?"

Huo Yingdong joined in, "Not to mention, you generously donated thirty million to each of the two major universities. That's some serious spending!"

"Especially with that think tank you're setting up. From now on, the world's brightest minds will be working for you. Brilliant move!"

Both men, clearly not fools, were initially surprised when the news broke. But as they thought more about it, they began to understand the deeper significance of Xia Yu's actions.

Donating to educational institutions is a common charitable act, but Xia Yu stood out because of the sheer scale of his contributions.

What really caught their attention, however, was Xia Yu's plan to establish the Jiuding Think Tank. Although Xia Yu hadn't gone out of his way to publicize it, the news spread quickly due to the many people involved, some of whom were acquaintances of Bao Yugang and Huo Yingdong. They soon understood the grand vision Xia Yu was aiming for.

To succeed in any endeavor, one must rely on talent. The more talented people you have, the bigger your enterprise can grow.

Once the Jiuding Think Tank is established, it will attract elite talent from Hong Kong and around the world, who will contribute their expertise to the Jiuding Consortium. This will exponentially increase the chances of discovering business opportunities while minimizing the risk of failure.

In Bao Yugang and Huo Yingdong's eyes, if Xia Yu manages to build this think tank properly, it could very well be the foundation that ensures the Jiuding Consortium's prosperity for the next hundred years.

While many businessmen in Hong Kong are still taking things one step at a time, Xia Yu is already looking far into the future and laying down the groundwork.

This level of foresight and strategic planning left Bao Yugang and Huo Yingdong deeply impressed. If someone like Xia Yu couldn't succeed, then no one in Hong Kong could.

Xia Yu, hearing their praises, smiled modestly and waved his hand, saying, "Old Bao, Old Huo, it's not as grand as you're making it out to be. I'm just trying to catch up to everyone else in laying down a solid foundation."

"All the big names in Hong Kong have at least a few decades of accumulation, if not a century or more in their family's history. I've risen from humble beginnings, so I'm at a significant disadvantage in terms of connections and talent. While I might enjoy some short-term success, there are still major flaws in the long run. To make up for this, I have no choice but to focus on this area."

Bao Yugang and Huo Yingdong exchanged good-natured smiles and chose not to press the matter further. They had their own judgments and thoughts, and while Xia Yu might downplay things, they knew better. After all, they were on the same team as Xia Yu.

"By the way, Old Bao, I heard you sold another ten freighters to Wheelock & Co. three days ago?"

Xia Yu asked casually as they clinked beer bottles.

Bao Yugang wasn't surprised that Xia Yu knew about this. The entire city knew he was exiting the shipping industry, and many were interested in picking up his freighters at low prices. So, he nodded and said, "Yes, I sold ten more. Since I decided to step back from shipping, I've sold a total of sixty-eight ships. But I still have one hundred and twenty-two ships of various sizes left."

Huo Yingdong chimed in, "It's good that you sold them. In recent years, shipping has become a sunset industry. There are plenty of other promising industries to invest in. Sticking to shipping would only leave you far behind others. If you didn't get out, in a couple of years, you might not even be the richest Chinese anymore."

Bao Yugang shook his head with a smile at Huo Yingdong's joking remark, "Old Huo, you've got it wrong. I'm no longer the richest Chinese as it is."

Huo Yingdong nudged Xia Yu playfully, "You should ask Xia Yu about that. According to *Economic Weekly*, whether it's the Hong Kong Rich List or the Asian Rich List, you're still the richest Chinese. I'm not making this up."

Bao Yugang laughed helplessly and complained to Xia Yu, "Xia Yu, you're not being fair. You're clearly wealthier than I am, yet you've put me at the top as a target while you conveniently place yourself in the twenties on the Hong Kong Rich List, with only a little over a billion in assets. How can you do that?"

"That's right, Xia Yu. I bet you're the wealthiest in Hong Kong, but you're the best at hiding it. That's just evil."

Huo Yingdong also joined in on the playful accusations.

Seeing the fire turned on him, Xia Yu quickly deflected, "My net worth is genuine. You're only counting my assets, not my debts. Don't forget, I've borrowed over a billion from HSBC alone. After deducting the liabilities, I'm left with just a little bit."

Xia Yu's playful evasion left Bao Yugang and Huo Yingdong helpless, but they didn't mind. They were only joking around anyway, and they understood Xia Yu's reasoning.

Still, both men made a mental note to follow Xia Yu's lead in being a bit more discreet and hiding some of their wealth. Let someone else take the top spot on the rich list—those lists were just for show, after all.

"Old Bao, if you're selling your ships, why not go all out and sell them worldwide? With prices this low, more publicity will help you sell them faster. Instead of tying up money in ships, it's better to free up cash and invest in real estate. The opportunity is too good to miss!"

"Ten days from now, the Hong Kong government is auctioning off another batch of land. Let's try to secure a few more plots. By the end of the year, property prices will likely rise by at least fifty percent."

Xia Yu advised thoughtfully.

Bao Yugang nodded in agreement, "You're right. I'll continue to sell off the ships. As for acquiring land, I have enough funds for now."

"Hugh MacLehose has brought back news from the mainland, which has calmed the people in Hong Kong. With the overall environment stable, property prices should indeed rise."

Huo Yingdong agreed.

"Xia Yu, you recently acquired Xie Liyuan Gold Shop and established Eternal Jewelry. Are you planning to seriously get into that business?"

Bao Yugang asked curiously.

"I just happened to have some spare cash, and since Xie Liyuan Gold Shop went bankrupt and the price was reasonable, I figured I might as well buy it as a big toy. Besides, the jewelry business ties in well with my magazine operations. Better to keep it for myself than let someone else profit."

Xia Yu explained with a smile.

"Haha!"

"I ran into Shà Gǎn Tóng (Cheng Yu-tung) a few days ago, and he was trying to subtly probe my thoughts about you. Your casual move certainly shocked him."

Bao Yugang laughed, his tone laced with a hint of schadenfreude.

"How could I scare him? Chow Tai Fook dominates the jewelry market in Hong Kong. With his skills, there's no reason for him to fear me. Besides, the market is there for everyone, and no one owns it. We'll just see who plays the game better."

Xia Yu dismissed it lightly.

"By the way, Old Bao, do you happen to own shares in Hong Kong Electric Light Company?"

Xia Yu suddenly asked while eating.