Chapter 181: Hong Kong Island

On Jianshazui's streets, afternoon sunlight filtered through the gaps between tall buildings onto the stone pavement, the crowd weaving like a fabric, and the mixed Cantonese‑English vendor cries rose and fell.

Lu Qingshan had his hands clasped behind his back, walking at an unhurried pace at the front, but his gaze was not on the dazzling goods; he was observing every commercial detail around him.

"Second brother, look at that watch shop!" Lu Qingjun pointed at a luxurious Switzerland watch boutique, "Rolex, Omega, all top‑brand! Shall we go in and have a look?"

"What are you looking at?" Lu Qingshan glanced at the price tag, "A watch costs tens of thousands of Hong Kong Dollars, enough for a villager from our hometown to live on for a lifetime."

Ye Ning followed beside him, her mood extremely complicated.

She occasionally pulled out her compact BP device to check, fearing she might miss some important news.

Fifty‑six million of capital was swirling in the market, yet this Mr. Lu was leisurely observing the shops here; this mental composure was simply beyond her comprehension.

"Mr. Lu, there's an HSBC ahead," Ye Ning pointed at a stately building not far away, "Shall we go in and have a look?"

Lu Qingshan's eyes lit up, and he quickened his steps toward it.

The HSBC lobby was opulent, its marble floor reflecting silhouettes, and a massive crystal chandelier radiated a warm glow.

Bank staff in crisp suits moved back and forth, each wearing a professional smile.

"Sir, may I ask what assistance you need?" a young female clerk approached proactively, speaking in a fluent Cantonese‑English mixed accent.

"I'd like to learn about your bank's interest rates," Lu Qingshan said straight to the point.

The female clerk was momentarily stunned, clearly not expecting someone to come specifically to ask about rates: "Sir, are you looking to open an account or to invest?"

"Either is possible," Lu Qingshan's gaze swept over the various notices in the lobby, "What's the Hong Kong Dollar deposit rate? And the US Dollar?"

"A one‑year Hong Kong Dollar term deposit carries an annual rate of 3.6%; the US Dollar is slightly lower at 3.2%," the female clerk replied professionally, "For large‑amount deposits, the rate can be further negotiated."

Lu Qingshan nodded, silently calculating. A memory from a past life told him that Hong Kong Island's bank rates would experience dramatic swings in the coming months, hiding a huge investment opportunity.

"What about loan rates?" he continued to ask.

"Commercial loan annual rates range from 7% to 8%, depending on collateral and credit rating," the female clerk grew increasingly puzzled, "Why is this young man asking so specifically? What does he intend?"

Leaving the bank, Lu Qingjun couldn't help but ask, "Second brother, why are you asking all this? We're not short of money."

"What do you understand?" Lu Qingshan gave his brother a dismissive glance, "Anyone in business must constantly monitor capital costs. Changes in rates often foreshadow shifts in the economic climate."

They continued walking forward along the street, passing several large trading firms and logistics companies.

Lu Qingshan deliberately stopped, carefully observing the scale and operations of these companies.

"Miss Ye, are you familiar with Hong Kong Island's logistics industry?" Lu Qingshan suddenly asked.

Ye Ning thought for a moment, "Hong Kong Island is Place's transshipment hub; the logistics sector is thriving. Companies like Hutchison Whampoa, Jardine Matheson have logistics divisions, and the profits are considerable."

"What about the port's throughput?"

"Last year it surpassed 30 million tonnes, and this year it's expected to grow further," Ye Ning said, increasingly puzzled by Lu Qingshan's intent, "Mr. Lu, are you looking to invest in logistics?"

Lu Qingshan gave no direct answer, but nodded pensively.

A memory from his past life told him that Hong Kong Island's logistics industry would experience explosive growth over the next decade, especially as mainland reforms deepen, making it a key hub linking the interior and the world.

After crossing several streets, Lu Qingshan's gaze was drawn to a skyscraper under construction.

The site was dotted with tower cranes, and workers were laboring intensely.

"What project is this?" he asked.

Ye Ning glanced at the nearby billboard, "It appears to be a commercial complex, forty‑eight floors, slated for completion next year. The developer is Sun Hung Kai Properties."

"Forty‑eight floors?" a spark of insight flashed in Lu Qingshan's eyes, "The construction cost must be steep, right?"

"Probably tens of billions of Hong Kong Dollars," Ye Ning replied offhand, "Hong Kong Island's land prices are so high that only major developers can afford projects of this scale."

Lu Qingshan stood before the site, silent for a long while.

In his mind he was formulating a grand plan.

Hong Kong Island is Place's financial center; establishing his own commercial empire headquarters here would carry great symbolic weight.

"Second brother, what are you thinking?" Lu Qingjun asked cautiously, seeing his brother's solemn expression.

"I'm thinking," Lu Qingshan turned, fire of ambition burning in his eyes, "We should also have a building of our own on Hong Kong Island."

The remark nearly made Ye Ning choke on her own saliva.

She had just been worrying about the safety of that 56 million of capital, and Mr. Lu was already contemplating buying a building?

"Buying a building?" Lu Qingjun's eyes widened like copper bells, "Second brother, Hong Kong Island's property prices are not cheap!"

"Who said we should buy?" Lu Qingshan smiled mysteriously, "I said build."

"Build?" the two exclaimed simultaneously.

"Exactly, build a building of our own," Lu Qingshan's tone was unusually firm, "If we develop on Hong Kong Island, we need a proper headquarters. Renting someone else's space will never become a lasting base."

Ye Ning was left utterly speechless.

The man's leaps of thought were just too huge, weren't they?

From stock trading to banking finance, from logistics to real‑estate development, he wanted to know everything; he was truly a polymath.

At that moment, Ye Ning's BP device suddenly rang.

"Mr. Lu!" she glanced at the message, her complexion turning pale instantly, "The exchange called! They said there's an important situation!"

Lu Qingshan gave her a glance, replying calmly, "What important situation?"

"The Hang Seng Index fell steadily after opening and is now down to 1620 points!" Ye Ning's voice trembled, "Our Short Selling order has already started to profit!"

Lu Qingjun, hearing the news, was so excited he nearly jumped up, "Second brother! We're making money!"

But Lu Qingshan's expression remained as calm as water, "It's only a 50‑point drop, what's that? Come, let's continue strolling our street."

"Continue strolling?" Ye Ning could hardly believe it, "Mr. Lu, do you know what 50 points mean? At our position size, that's already a profit of several hundred million Hong Kong Dollars!"

"Hundreds of millions?" Lu Qingshan turned to look at her, a thrilling curl forming at the corner of his mouth, "Miss Ye, your scope is too narrow. The real show is still to come."

Having said that, he kept walking forward, leaving Ye Ning and Lu Qingjun standing there, staring at each other.

Where does this man's Confidence truly come from?

What exactly has he seen that others do not?

In the distance, the sky over Hong Kong Island began to be overcast with dark clouds, as if foreshadowing the impending financial storm.

And Lu Qingshan, like the master of this storm, walked calmly down the street, planning his vast business empire.