On the first day of the new year, Zhao Chen slept until he woke up naturally.
Su Wantang cooked glutinous rice balls in the kitchen, stuffed with sesame seeds, white and plump.
Zhao Chen ate two bowls, then sat on the sofa and read a book all day.
This is not a business book, but a leisure book about the old building of Shan City.
On the second day of the Lunar New Year, Chen Xi came to pay New Year greetings. She brought a box of snacks and said they were made by her mother.
The three of them were sitting in Living Room drinking tea, and Chen Xi talked about her experience in Belgium--
Brussels Grand Place's Christmas market, Antwerp's Diamond Street, Bruges's canal.
Su Wantang listened attentively and asked a few questions from time to time. Zhao Chen leaned on the sofa and occasionally interjected.
On the third day of junior high school, Zhang Qingxue came and brought a progress report from Bubble Mary Existing Share Acquisition.
Zhao Chen glanced at it but didn't ask in detail. "Aunt Zhang, we won't talk about work during the Chinese New Year."
Zhang Qingxue smiled, put the report away, sat down, drank a cup of tea and left.
From the fourth to the sixth day of the Lunar New Year, Zhao Chen didn't go anywhere. He dealt with some backlog of emails at home and made New Year's greeting calls to several important partners.
Wang An said on the phone that Spring Festival would bring his team to Shan City later to discuss the specific terms of Labobo authorization.
On the seventh day of the lunar month, New Year Atmosphere is still there, but life has begun to go back.
Most of the stalls selling New Year Goods on the street have disappeared, and the Spring Festival decorations in supermarkets have also begun to be removed.
Zhao Chen sat in Study, opened the notebook, and looked at the goals written down last year--
The debt ratio dropped to 20%, Bubble Mart held more than 20% of the shares, and Tesla completed the position building.
Every goal is progressing, and none of it is easy.
On the eighth day of the lunar month, the first Executive Meeting discussion after Spring Festival.
The big Meeting Room of Henglong is full of people. Chen Wei, Song Zhongping, Chen Qiming, Liu Mingyu, Zhang Qingxue, Chen Xi--
Everyone's face looked relaxed after Spring Festival, but their eyes had begun to show the seriousness of work.
Zhao Chen sat in the middle and looked around. "New Year OK. Work has started."
The first topic of the meeting was Zhang Qingxue reporting on the progress of Bubble Mary Existing Share Acquisition.
She stood up, opened her laptop, and projected it onto the screen.
"Before Spring Festival, we completed three Existing Share Acquisition and two Minor Shareholder, totaling 4.5% of the shares.
The acquisition price - based on a valuation of 1.3 billion, is 8.3% higher than the 1.2 billion authorized by Board of Directors."
She paused and glanced at Zhao Chen, "The total acquisition amount is 117 million people RMB.
Together with the previous Private Placement and Existing Share Acquisition, Henglong currently holds 17.8% of the shares of Bubble Mart."
Meeting Room was quiet for a moment.
Everyone knows that the 1.3 billion valuation exceeds the authorization of Board of Directors.
Zhao Chen bypassed Board of Directors and took the shot directly.
This matter had been spread throughout the senior management before Spring Festival, but no one mentioned it.
Chen Qiming pushed up his glasses, looked down at the notebook in front of him, and said nothing.
Song Zhongping leaned on the back of the chair, crossed his hands on his chest, and looked calm.
Liu Mingyu was sitting next to Zhao Chen. The pen in his hand was drawing something on the paper without looking up.
Chen Wei sat at the other end of Long Table, listening quietly.
No one questions it.
No one made a fuss.
No one even exchanged a look.
Zhao Chen looked at these people in Meeting Room, and suddenly understood something in his heart - his authority in Henglong has reached a new level.
Not because he has a louder voice, not because he has more power, but because every decision he made in the past year has proven that he is right.
Shrink from Henglong Strategy to sell Henglong Property, invest from Yunnan Agriculture to Bubble Mary -
Every time others thought he was crazy, he was right in the end.
This kind of "rightness" does not depend on luck, but on results.
What is accumulated from one victory after another is more useful than any position.
Song Zhongping is the most cautious person.
He is an old minister of Henglong. He has experienced the era of Zhao Jianguo and witnessed the rise of Zhao Chen.
He is sensitive to numbers, sensitive to risks, and even more sensitive to procedures.
If he didn't even say a word of objection, it means that everyone here has already acquiesced in Zhao Chen's Decision-Making Rights.
It's not procedural authorization, it's de facto trust.
"Continue to collect." Zhao Chen said, "17.8% is not enough. The target is more than 25%. How many Minor Shareholder can be sold?"
Zhang Qingxue flipped through his notebook. "There are three more Minor Shareholder, totaling about 5% of the shares.
In addition, I have been in contact with Old Zhou, but he has not let go yet."
Zhao Chen thought for a moment, "Old Zhou Don't be in a hurry. Finish collecting Minor Shareholder's first."
The price can be adjusted a little further, and it is acceptable if the valuation is within 1.4 billion. The window period is so short, if you miss it, it will be gone."
Zhang Qingxue nodded. "Understood."
Zhao Chen turned to Chen Qiming: "Are there any problems with funding?"
Chen Qiming pushed up his glasses. "No problem. Haoyu has withdrawn part of the funds, and Henglong's own cash flow is sufficient.
The acquisition payment of Bubble Mary will not affect this year's debt reduction plan."
Zhao Chen nodded. He didn't say anything more.
The meeting ended quickly. After a few simple things were arranged, Zhao Chen stood up and looked around:
"This year is the most critical year for Henglong. Reducing debt, investing in new tracks, and optimizing asset structure - everything is not easy.
But last year was so difficult, and this year will not be more difficult than last year."
He paused and his voice became calmer. "Thank you everyone for your hard work. Let's get to work."
After the meeting, Zhao Chen returned to the office.
Chen Xi followed him, holding a folder in his hand.
"Zhao Zong, the ticket is booked. Direct flight to New York at ten o'clock tomorrow morning.
Sister Qingxue, Wantang are with me. You and Mr. Chen--"
Zhao Chen took the folder and flipped through it. "Aunt Zhang and Wantang are coming with me United States. You stay."
Chen Xi was stunned for a moment. "Should I stay?"
Zhao Chen nodded. "Yunnan Agriculture, the first Shareholders' Meeting after Spring Festival, you go and participate.
Zhou Hao has arrived at Yunnan. Go over and meet him to see how the financial integration is going over there.
In addition, after Bubble Mart's Existing Share Acquisition and Aunt Zhang leave, keep an eye on them.
Chen Qiming's capital allocation is fine, but you have to control the pace of acquisitions."
Chen Xi was silent for a second, then nodded. "Okay. Then I won't go United States."
Zhao Chen looked at her. "I'll take you there next time."
Chen Xi smiled, "Zhao Zong, I'm not a child, there's no need to coax me."
Zhao Chen also laughed and said nothing more.
Chen Xi turned around and went out. When he reached the door, he looked back at him and then gently closed the door.
Zhao Chen stood in front of the window, looking at Shan City outside the window. It was the first working day after Spring Festival, and the sun was very bright.
He took out his mobile phone and took a look at the stock price of Tesla.
On February 22, Tesla closed at 278 US Dollar. It fell by 82 US Dollar from the highest point of 360 US Dollar, but it no longer went down.
It seemed to have found support in a certain position, and slowly and with difficulty, it tried to stand up.
Zhao Chen put the phone away. He didn't look at it for too long.
He knew it would go back up, it just took time. And time was the only thing he didn't lack.
Tomorrow, he is going to United States.
First buy enough shares of Tesla shares, and then he will find new prey.
Not Tesla, not Apple, but companies that were unknown in 2018 but will change the world in the future.
He knows where they are, knows how much they are worth, and knows when to buy them.
This information has been stored in his mind for a whole year.
Now it's time to take them out.
Zhao Chen turned around, picked up the coat on the table, and walked out of the office.
The corridor was very quiet, and the sunlight shone in from Floor-to-Ceiling Window, spreading a golden strip of light on the ground.
When he walked through the strip of light, his shadow was stretched very long.
Tomorrow, he will fly to United States.
This time, he was going to have a formal head-on collision with the giant crocodiles of Wall Street.