At nine o'clock in the morning, just after shaving the thin fluffy beard on his lips, there was a knock at the door.

"Mr. Hu has a call for you, it's Mr. James from HSBC." The porter said loudly outside

"Okay, please tell him I'll call him back in a moment."

After packing up, I carried the briefcase I just bought yesterday, and went downstairs to call James back. James said that yesterday, the Bank of Communications 5,000 oceans had been transferred to Hu Wenkai's account, and he needed to go to HSBC to sign, and asked him if he was interested in buying a house in Shanghai, and his friend had a property that urgently needed to be transferred, and the price was negotiable. It was not good to talk in detail on the phone, so Hu Wenkai made an appointment with James to go to the bank at 11 o'clock in the morning to sign, and at noon we had dinner together to discuss the house in detail.

At noon, James and Kobe Bryant were feasted at Raphael Western Restaurant on the Bund. In the end, it is an American, and when they meet, they will sell their own houses and do not ask Hu Wenkai whether they buy it or not. Hu Wenkai asked for a pencil and a few pieces of blank paper, handed it to Kobe Bryant and said, "Mr. Kobe, please indicate the geographical location of your house and then briefly draw the structure of your house, I need to think about buying a house after all." ”

Kobe patted his head and smiled: "Dear Hu, look at my character, I'm embarrassed to be in a hurry to sell the house because of tomorrow's ferry ticket"

"Lane 181 Taicang Road, turn left is Xingye Road, lane hall into the third household, the house is fourteen meters deep, 4.5 meters wide, there is a thirty-square-meter living room on the first floor, a wing room you Chinese say, a kitchen, and the stairs are two rooms above the wing room and the living room." Kobe Bryant said as he painted.

"Dear Hu, I suggest you can take a look at it on the spot, you will definitely be satisfied," Kobe Bryant said eagerly looking at Hu Wenkai.

"Kobe, you are a friend of James, I can only say that I am initially interested in your house, go to your site to see it and make a decision, let's have a drink first" Although Hu Wenkai was quite satisfied with Kobe's house, he didn't want to reveal it too early. The three of them chatted while eating, and Hu Wenkai, who has 40 years of experience in later generations, can easily dominate the atmosphere of the dinner.

"Kobe, your company's scrap steel trade should be sold to Japan."

"Hu, how do you know? I didn't say that to anyone," Kobe Bryant stared at Hu Wenkai in surprise.

"It's very simple, European steel is relatively saturated at this stage, and American scrap steel can't be sold at a good price in Europe, and shipping to Europe is likely to lose money. Only Japan has an industrial base in Asian countries that needs steel, and Japan does not need iron ore and coal to smelt steel, so smelting scrap steel is the best choice, and the cost can be reduced to the minimum. This can be obtained by simple analysis," Hu Wenkai replied with a smile.

"Incredible, magical Hu." Kobe Bryant looked at James in disbelief, and James shook his head slightly.

"Your company should be located on the East Coast of the United States, most likely San Francisco," Hu continued.

"Impossible, Hu, you're investigating me?" Bryant stood up. Hu Wenkai pressed Kobe's shoulder and asked him to sit down again.

"Mr. Hu, I also think it's incredible, can you explain it to us?" James was also surprised.

"It's very simple to explain from the lowest cost, because your trading object is Japan, only on the east coast transportation cost is the lowest, it is estimated that in San Francisco, it is a big city, convenient transportation, factories are more scrap steel is easy to collect," Hu Wenkai said with a smile.

"Hu, it's a pity that you don't do business, you can judge the address of my family's main trading partners and my company just by making scrap steel from my family."

"Kobe, we're putting your real estate deal aside for the time being, and I'd like to have an initial partnership with you."

"Well, you say, it would be a pleasure to work with such a wise Chinese as you."

"After a year, can your company's scrap steel be supplied to me at the same price, and I will cash in stock." Hu Wenkai said casually

"Do you need scrap steel? You don't have a steel mill. Are you going to sell it to the Japanese? Bryant looked confused.

"Bryant, leave me your mailing address in the United States, and we will telegraph if needed. I have a hunch that we will have a lot of opportunities to work together."

"Mr. Hu, how can I have a feeling that I can't figure you out. Yesterday when you were doing business at the bank, I felt that you had a kind of ability that did not match your age," James patted Hu Wenkai on the shoulder, raised his wine glass and took a sip.

Hu Wenkai hugged James and said: "Dear Mr. James, there is a saying in China that once you are born twice, you will know that I Hu Wenkai is a trustworthy friend in the future." Wen Kai hopes to keep in touch with you often, but I'm new to Shanghai, and I hope you will take care of me."

"Mr. Hu, I am an employee of HSBC, as long as it is a commercial bank, I am interested, I look forward to cooperating with Mr. Hu"

As a businessman in later generations, how could Hu Wenkai not understand the role of the bank, he would not let go when the opportunity came, and the psychological hints in the conversation made James feel that he would not return empty-handed when he interacted with him, and he unintentionally revealed that money was not a problem. After lunch, the three of them were like friends for many years, James went back to work in the bank and made an appointment to meet at Kobe's place in the evening, Hu Wenkai and Kobe took a rickshaw to Lane 181 of Taicang Road to inspect Kobe's house.

The location of Bryant's house is very satisfying to Hu Wenkai, the living room of more than 30 square meters is centered on two large American-style three-person sofas, in the middle is a mahogany coffee table, the red floor is covered with a light yellow wool carpet decorated with green plant patterns, and the chandelier hangs down above. On the table by the window there is an old-fashioned telephone, a wooden staircase and a kitchen, and on the second floor are two rooms, one is renovated into a study and the other is a bedroom, the only disadvantage is that there is no bathroom.

Hu Wenkai smiled and said to Kobe: "Do you need to empty the toilet by yourself every day?"

Kobe Bryant blushed: "There's no way, Hu, every morning is the most painful time, carry the toilet and put it in front of the door and wait for the toilet to be poured back." ”

Hu Wenkai planned to transform the kitchen into a bathroom, and the wing room into a kitchen--dining room, which required a little effort, and he was generally very satisfied. After trading 650 pounds sterling sterling, the two rushed to the board of directors to pay the taxes, and Hu Wenkai got a land deed of the French concession stamped with the seal of the board of directors. Back at No. 3, Lane 181, Taicang Road, Kobe Bryant pulled him to the study on the second floor and said, "Hu, you have taken a big advantage, look at my secret room full of wine." As he spoke, he pushed open the bookshelves to reveal a secret room of several square meters, in which more than a dozen cases of wine and Chinese liquor were stacked, three * rifles with scopes hung on the wall, a table against the wall, and several old M1911 pistols were placed next to the table lamp. Hu Wenkai knew that Kobe Bryant was in the arms business in Shanghai, and this was not surprising at all.

"Kobe, I like good wine, but guns are useless to me, so for the sake of fine wine, don't be polite to me for 50 pounds" Hu Wenkai took out three pounds and stuffed them into Kobe's pocket.

The telephone downstairs was installed by Kobe Bryant for the convenience of doing business, and the number is 1619 in the North District. After waiting for James in the evening, James made an east trip for Kobe Bryant at the nearby Hongbin Hotel, and Kobe, who drank a lot, kept describing to James how generous Hu Wenkai was, and he was a friend worth making.

Hu Wenkai said with a smile: "We are not much different in age, plus we all have similar cultural qualities, it is difficult not to be friends, Kobe Bryant I am going to the United States next year, you have to entertain me, James please remember that No. 3 of Lane 181 welcomes you as a guest, and you will no longer patronize when Kobe Bryant leaves." ”

"Mr. Hu, don't bother me when you arrive, I'm single in Shanghai, and we can communicate more when we have time." James ripped off his tie with his hand.

Make an appointment with Kobe to meet at 8 o'clock tomorrow morning, hand over the keys, and send Kobe to the dock to board the ship.