Chapter 57 Lu Che Wants to Invest
The two got into Li Hanzhou's car.
The car was very quiet.
“Jiang Tianqi has started to make his move.” Li Hanzhou lit a cigarette. “Tonight was just a test. Next time, we won’t be so polite.”
Fang Che nodded: "I know. 'Hejia Huan Property' is also his."
Li Hanzhou raised an eyebrow: "You found out?"
"My thirteenth sister told me," Fang Che briefly explained about the contract. "He tried to use the contract to frame me, but I saw through it."
Li Hanzhou's eyes flashed with approval: "Well done. Jiang Tianqi is good at this kind of underhanded tricks, appearing compliant on the surface while hiding a knife in the dark."
He paused for a moment, then said, "But Ah Che, you've been getting too much attention lately. Barbecue restaurant, school, Chefeng Express... a lot of people on Portland Street know you. This is a threat to Jiang Tianqi."
Fang Che smiled wryly: "I didn't think that much about it. I just wanted to find a way out for the children..."
“I understand.” Li Hanzhou stubbed out his cigarette. “But that’s how the martial world is. Once you rise to power, someone will want to bring you down. Jiang Tianqi is just the first; there will be others in the future.”
He looked at Fang Che: "A-Che, you have to become stronger on your own. You can't always rely on me."
Fang Che was taken aback.
Li Hanzhou spoke very seriously.
"Brother Li, I..."
“That’s what I meant by letting you take over Longhu Hui,” Li Hanzhou continued. “You’ll be in charge of that shop from now on. You’ll take 70% of the profits, and the branch will take 30%. Use this money to expand your business, improve the school, and bring the children out into the world. Once you’ve established yourself on Portland Street, no one will be able to touch you easily.”
Fang Che felt a lump in his throat.
Brother Li is paving the way for him.
"Brother Li, why are you helping me like this?"
Li Hanzhou looked at him for a while before slowly speaking: "Because you are Fang Che."
that's all.
Because it's you.
So I want to protect you and see you go further.
Fang Che's eyes welled up with tears.
Since his transmigration, he has been struggling to survive.
It was Li Hanzhou who gave him stability, gave him opportunities, and now he is handing the future over to him.
This feeling is too heavy.
“Brother Li,” he said in a low voice, “I won’t let you down.”
"I know." Li Hanzhou ruffled his hair. "Go back and get some rest. 'Dragon Tiger Gathering' opens next month, you'll be busy enough."
Fang Che nodded, opened the door, and got out of the car.
After taking a few steps, he turned around.
Li Hanzhou was still sitting in the car, looking at him through the car window with a gentle gaze.
Fang Che suddenly felt an impulse.
He wanted to ask: Brother Li, what are your true feelings for me?
But in the end, I didn't ask.
Some things are too early to say.
Some things, you have to wait for the right time.
Back at the barbecue restaurant, Xi Rong had already brought the children back from the hospital.
Amin had a few stitches in his forehead and was wrapped in gauze, but he seemed to be in good spirits.
"Brother Che, I'm sorry, I've caused you trouble." He lowered his head.
"Don't talk nonsense." Fang Che patted his shoulder. "You did the right thing by protecting your younger siblings. But remember next time, protect yourself first before calling for help. Don't fight recklessly."
"I understand." Amin nodded, then asked, "Brother Che, is that Jiang Tianqi... really bad?"
Fang Che remained silent for a moment.
“It’s pretty bad,” he finally said. “So we need to become stronger, so strong that he won’t dare to cause trouble again.”
The children nodded vigorously.
That night, Fang Che couldn't sleep.
He lay in bed, repeatedly recalling Li Hanzhou's words.
"You have to become stronger on your own. You can't always rely on me."
Yes, we can't rely on Brother Li forever.
Jiang Tianqi dares to be so arrogant simply because he thinks he's easy to manipulate.
He needs to know that Fang Che is not a pushover.
Thinking of this, Fang Che sat up, turned on the light, and took out paper and pen.
He needs to make a plan.
A plan that allows "Northeast Tiger Barbecue", "Chefeng Express" and the community school to support each other.
The barbecue restaurant is the source of cash, the school is the foundation, and express delivery is the reach.
The combination of these three elements can create a network along Portland Street.
A net to protect the children.
A net that prevented Jiang Tianqi from making any rash moves.
He didn't put down his pen until 3 a.m.
The paper was covered with dense notes, all of which were arrangements.
Step 1: Expand the coverage of "Chefeng Express" and sign long-term contracts with surrounding merchants to establish a stable income.
Step 2: Use the profits from the barbecue restaurant to subsidize the school, hire more teachers, and offer practical skills courses.
The third step: After "Dragon and Tiger Gathering" opens, arrange for some well-performing children to work as waiters/waitresses, giving them the opportunity to have formal jobs.
Step 4...
At the end, he drew a little tiger in the corner of the paper and wrote two words next to it:
Get stronger.
For Brother Li's trust.
For the future of our children.
Also, in order to... live up to this time travel experience.
For the next two weeks, Fang Che was busy working non-stop.
During the day, she runs the barbecue restaurant business; at night, she helps the kids collect garbage; in her spare time, she runs the renovation of "Longhu Hui"; and on weekends, she has to go to school.
Tired, but fulfilled.
There was no further news from Jiang Tianqi, but Fang Che knew that this was just the calm before the storm.
That afternoon, he was overseeing the renovations at "Longhu Hui" when Ah Gui arrived.
"Fang Che, Brother Li wants you to go to the branch."
"Now?"
"Now."
Fang Che's heart tightened.
The main hall was where Li Hanzhou handled gang affairs, and he was never allowed to go there under normal circumstances.
He suddenly called me today, there must be something on his mind.
He said a few words to the foreman and then left with Ah Gui.
On the way, Ah Gui, unusually, took the initiative to speak: "Fang Che, someone came to the gang today. When you see him... don't be too surprised."
"who?"
"Lu Che".
Fang Che was taken aback.
Lu Che? That undercover police officer? What's he doing at the gang?
The car drove deep into Portland Street and stopped in front of an old tenement building.
This is the stronghold of Heyitang. It looks ordinary on the outside, but there is a whole different world inside.
Fang Che followed A Gui upstairs and into the council hall.
Pushing open the door, I saw several people sitting inside.
Li Hanzhou sat in the main seat, with Uncle Chen on his left and a middle-aged man with a refined and scholarly air wearing a Zhongshan suit on his right.
Sitting opposite Li Hanzhou was Lu Che.
He was wearing a gray suit today, without a tie, and sitting up straight.
He nodded slightly when he saw Fang Che come in.
"Ah Che, come and sit down." Li Hanzhou beckoned.
Fang Che sat down next to Uncle Chen, full of doubts.
Li Hanzhou began, "Let me introduce you. This is Mr. Lu Che, an investor from the mainland who wants to cooperate with the gang."
Investors?
Fang Che looked at Lu Che, who returned a smile.
“Mr. Lu is optimistic about the prospects of Hong Kong’s entertainment industry and wants to invest in Dragon Tiger Entertainment,” Li Hanzhou continued. “He offered three million for a 30% stake.”
Three million!
Fang Che's heart skipped a beat.
This is not a small amount.
“Boss Li,” Lu Che began, his voice steady, “I’ve seen the ‘Dragon Tiger Club’ project. The concept is innovative, and the model is mature. If we can bring in resources from the mainland and open up channels between the two sides, the prospects should be good.”
He spoke logically and methodically, behaving exactly like a businessman.
But Fang Che knew he was a policeman.
Police want to invest in a gang's nightclub?
What's going on here?
“Mr. Lu,” Uncle Chen pushed up his glasses, “three million is no small sum. You trust us that much?”
"I believe you." Lu Che smiled. "What I value is Boss Li's ability and Mr. Fang's intellect. I don't care about anything else."
He spoke cryptically, but everyone present understood.
It means: I only care about business, not right or wrong.
Li Hanzhou didn't speak, but tapped his fingers lightly on the table.
The council chamber fell silent.
Fang Che quickly made a decision.
Lu Che's investment is definitely a step in the police's operation.
Perhaps they want to infiltrate through investment and gather intelligence.
But refusing might alert them.
If you agree... it's like having a bomb planted next to you.
“Brother Li,” Fang Che suddenly spoke up, “may I ask Mr. Lu a few questions?”
Li Hanzhou nodded.
Fang Che looked at Lu Che: "Mr. Lu, you said you are optimistic about 'Dragon Tiger Club,' which specific companies are you optimistic about?"
Lu Che seemed to have been prepared: "First, the location. Tsim Sha Tsui is the entertainment center of Hong Kong, guaranteeing a steady flow of customers. Second, the model. VIP rooms, a song selection system, and a membership system—these are still novel in mainland China. Third…"
He paused, then looked at Fang Che: "Mr. Fang, your business philosophy. I've studied your barbecue restaurant and community school. There aren't many people who can turn a small business into something significant."
That's a well-chosen phrase; it praises both the business and the person.
Fang Che continued, "So, Mr. Lu, what are your plans for the future of 'Dragon Tiger Club'?"
"We'll open three branches within three years and establish an online entertainment network connecting Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macau. We'll go public within five years," Lu Che said confidently. "Of course, this will require the cooperation of Boss Li and Mr. Fang."
Going public?
Fang Che almost burst out laughing.
A gangster's nightclub going public?
This police story is so unbelievable.
But his expression remained unchanged: "Mr. Lu has quite the ambition."
"How can you do business without ambition?" Lu Che countered with a smile. "What do you think, Mr. Fang?"
Their eyes met.
Fang Che saw the deeper meaning in Lu Che's eyes.
That look in his eyes seemed to say: Cooperating with me will do you good.
Fang Che's heart skipped a beat.
Perhaps... this is an opportunity?
Lu Che is a policeman, but not necessarily an enemy.
If he really wanted to deal with Brother Li, there was no need for him to go through all this trouble.
Perhaps he wants to cooperate?
“Brother Li,” Fang Che turned to Li Hanzhou, “I think Mr. Lu’s proposal is worth considering. But the shareholding needs to be adjusted! Three million, accounting for 20%. In addition, Mr. Lu will not participate in the operation, but will only make financial investments.”
Everyone looked at him.
Even Lu Che raised an eyebrow.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com