Chu Xiaoxin

Biodata

Background

Chu Xiaoxin was born to Chu Yaozong’s second wife, Peng Xiulian, after the Chu Family had already become wealthy. He and his younger brother, Chu Xiaozhi, shared a mother; Chu Xiaozhong was their elder half-brother. Xiaoxin graduated from Queen’s College and was twenty-two when described early in the story 9 58 284.

Chu Yaozong entrusted Xiaoxin with the family’s medicine business while giving Xiaozhong the foundational grain and oil business. Although Xiaoxin was nominally in charge of Likang Trading Company, Xiaozhong’s maternal uncle watched its dock business. Xiaoxin sought a capable secretary to help him retain the company, and Wu Jinliang introduced Song Tianyao to the position 9.

Appearance

• Described as fairly handsome and plump 66 340.

Personality

Outgoing, warmhearted and fond of making friends, Xiaoxin enjoys extravagant spending, singers and nightlife. He is generally good-natured and slow to anger, though he cares deeply about saving face 9 16 386.

Xiaoxin recognizes that he lacks his elder brother’s business ability and places considerable trust in Song Tianyao’s judgment. He also keeps his promises: when he agreed not to take money from Likang for three months, he sought spending money from his family instead 59 87 143.

Despite their eventual estrangement, Xiaoxin’s loyalty to Song remains evident. After declaring that they were no longer brothers or friends, he warned that he would use his money against any gang that harmed Song that night 776 777.

Story Role

The Cheung Wing-kam dispute

At Lichi, Song intervened on Xiaoxin’s behalf when customers jeered at singer Chen Judy. The confrontation escalated into a dispute involving Inspector Cheung Wing-kam’s godson. On Song’s advice, Xiaoxin attacked the godson again to establish that the fight was a personal quarrel over a woman, rather than a wider gang conflict 16 18 19.

Xiaoxin later paid Cheung two thousand dollars and apologized. Yan Hung, who had taken responsibility in his place, was reassigned to guard reservoirs in Sha Tau Kok. Xiaoxin thanked him, promised to seek his transfer and provided Song with money to help Yan Hung keep face 31 36.

Likang and the Zhang Family

Song persuaded Xiaoxin to let Fuyixing take over Likang’s dock business and warned that Chu Family workers respected Xiaozhong more than him. Xiaoxin subsequently backed Song during a family confrontation over the decision. He later learned that Chan Ah-sap and Xiaozhong had kept Likang’s smuggling profits from him 58 62 67.

Xiaoxin borrowed HK$100,000 from his father with an IOU and provided it to Song for Likang’s plans. He also publicly ended his friendship with Zhang Yuliang, accusing him and Fuzhong Trading Company of cheating Likang; Song later praised Xiaoxin’s performance at the confrontation 91 147 148.

Following Song’s charity plan, Xiaoxin recruited wealthy young men to attend Chen Judy’s appearance at an Oxfam event and pressed them to donate. He became a Justice of the Peace, and by the time Song prepared to leave Likang, the company had taken over the Zhang Family’s business. Chu Yaozong arranged for Chu Shuheng to help Xiaoxin run it 162 257 284.

Business influence and later life

Xiaoxin agreed to guarantee a US$200,000 HSBC loan for Foreign Girl’s proposed wig-machine factory in the United States. Later, as chairman of the Hong Kong Pharmaceutical Association, he worked with Five Counties merchant Feng Yichang rather than allow the association to split along regional lines 339 604 606.

When Song fought the Lin Family, Xiaoxin offered to mortgage his forty percent of Likang and the Pharmaceutical Factory to support him. Song refused the offer, concerned about the damage it could do to his ties with the Chu and Lu families 508.

Xiaoxin initially rejected rumors that Song had sided with Shanghai interests against Hong Kong people. After Song confirmed that he would help the Shanghai side, Xiaoxin broke with him, but immediately ordered others not to harm him. Later, Xiaoxin sought Song out to say that he had not known about a two-million-dollar bounty his elder brother had placed on him 758 776 777 818.

After Chu Yaozong’s death and Xiaozhong’s move to Britain, Xiaoxin took on the family’s affairs. He gradually matured and eventually became chairman of the Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce 829.

Relationships

• Song Tianyao — Xiaoxin’s secretary, trusted adviser and close friend. Xiaoxin called him a brother and offered substantial financial support during his fight with the Lin Family; their later dispute did not stop Xiaoxin from protecting him 9 508 776 777.
• Chu Yaozong — His father, who entrusted him with the medicine business. Yaozong later took a greater interest in Xiaoxin’s position and arranged help for Likang after Song’s departure 9 284.
• Peng Xiulian — His mother. She worried that Xiaoxin would struggle to manage Likang without Song 284.
• Chu Xiaozhong — His elder half-brother. Xiaoxin resented Xiaozhong’s mockery and feared losing Likang to him, though the brothers later made peace while maintaining separate business interests 58 59 256.
• Chu Xiaozhi — His younger brother, who shared his mother 9.
• Lu Peiying — His girlfriend and later fiancée. She encouraged him to protect his public standing and avoid pleasure houses; the Chu Family prepared a Kellett Road villa for their marriage 338 459 732.
• Chen Judy — A singer with whom Xiaoxin was romantically involved. He headed her Young Masters’ Club and later helped draw donors to her charity appearance 16 73 162.
• Yan Hung — Took responsibility in Xiaoxin’s dispute with Cheung Wing-kam and was reassigned to Sha Tau Kok. Xiaoxin promised to help him and later relied on him to investigate rumors about Song 36 758.
• Zhang Yuliang — Former friend whom Xiaoxin publicly accused of conspiring to cheat Likang 114 147.
• Gao Lao Cheng — A follower who protected Xiaoxin during his confrontation with Zhang Yuliang 147.

Interests and possessions

• Performing arts — Xiaoxin gives well-reasoned critiques of Cantonese opera, songs and films 91.
• Ford 49 — His car, driven by Chen Xingfu 66 143.
• Kellett Road villa — Purchased for HK$1.6 million as Xiaoxin’s marital home. Xiaozhong paid for it as part of the family’s inheritance arrangements 459.