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Chapter 1165: Chapter 1023: $600,000,000, 10% (Subscribe please!)
Ge Feng and his father exchanged a few more words.
Upon learning that Forbes had released the Huaxia Rich List, Ge Feng was shocked by Tang Qing’s skyrocketing net worth; in just over a year, he had already surpassed him.
What would it be like in a few more years?
No wonder his family held Tang Qing in such high regard.
He hung up the phone with his father.
He checked the time.
Tang Qing should have just finished breakfast not long ago, so Ge Feng made the call.
Soon,
Tang Qing answered.
"Big Brother Ge, what can I do for you?"
"You should cancel me; I wouldn’t dare advise you. I’m just here to congratulate you. Being the wealthiest man in Huaxia is a delightful occasion, and at this rate, you’ll soon be the wealthiest Chinese globally."
Ge Feng delivered a generous compliment.
Even though Tang Qing was wealthy,
there were still three big tycoons in Hong Kong, richer than the current Tang Qing. However, Ge Feng did not think highly of these three since all were in real estate—a field utterly devoid of creativity, which couldn’t earn his respect.
At this stage,
what he truly admired
were those entrepreneurs who propelled society forward and changed the world in cutting-edge fields.
As for real estate,
it definitely did not fall under the definitions of ’cutting-edge field’ or ’propelling society’.
"It’s just a vanity title; it’s useless, doesn’t even come with a medal or a certificate. You must be about to sleep over there, right? How come you have time to call? Tell me, are you about to ask to borrow money?"
"..."
Ge Feng couldn’t help but give a bitter smile.
This Tang Qing
really knew how to joke.
"How could that be? I’m here to give you money," said Ge Feng.
Tang Qing feigned confusion, "Give me money? How so?"
Regarding his affairs,
the command room would report to him immediately.
Not sure if Tang Qing knew, Ge Feng explained, "Our family wasn’t pleased that I sold our stocks in Microcrystalline Technology. They didn’t expect you to manage it so well, and now..."
Tang Qing interjected, "Are you thinking of repurchasing the stocks?"
Ge Feng quickly said, "It’s our family, they said we could buy them back at a premium, the price is negotiable. If you’re not interested, forget I said anything. I just hope you still consider me a friend."
Tang Qing laughed, "With the way Brother Ge puts it, what else can I say?"
"Are you agreeing?"
Ge Feng was startled, then delighted.
"As long as the terms are right," said Tang Qing.
"My father said that as long as we can buy back some stocks at a premium, Microcrystalline Technology will have no obstacles in Western Countries’ policies. As for the premium, you name the price, and I’ll relay it to the family."
Ge Feng wasn’t sure of his family’s bottom line.
"That’s quite a generous offer, but the terms are too vague and lack binding power." In a transaction, it’s natural to downplay the opponent’s chips. Then, Tang Qing said, "Four times the premium, ten percent."
Ge Feng quickly calculated the price.
Six hundred million dollars.
That was truly steep.
But that was not Ge Feng’s concern as he wasn’t the negotiator.
"I’ll relay this to the family and contact you once they decide. Honestly, you’ve done our Chinese community proud, and I really admire you. If you need help in the future, just ask," said Ge Feng.
"Heh, thank you then."
Tang Qing felt that Ge Feng truly didn’t want to facilitate this transaction, but he thought, six hundred million dollars just for ten percent of the company, which had previously been sold for less than a hundred million dollars.
That wouldn’t sit well with anyone.
They hung up.
Ge Feng dialed his father.
"That was quick?"
"Six hundred million dollars, ten percent," Ge Feng reported straightaway.
"You didn’t even negotiate..." Ge Feng’s father said helplessly.
Ge Feng wouldn’t take the blame, "I’m not qualified to negotiate; he set the price, I just report back; I’m merely the messenger."
"Fine, it’s not such a large amount. I’ll talk to the family right away, let them handle the headache." Ge Feng’s father, a Congressman in the United States, was not a businessman; business matters were handled by other family members.
"Alright."
Ge Feng hung up.
He went outside the villa.
He dove into the swimming pool, waiting for his family’s response.
...
Very quickly.
Tang Qing’s "outrageous demand" sparked a heated debate within the Ge family.
"What? Has Tang Qing lost his mind? Six hundred million dollars for just ten percent."
"That’s right, who does he think he is?"
"Robbery!"
"I think there’s no need to cooperate anymore, let’s just call it quits."
The abovementioned dialogue,
of course, would not occur in a well-established grand family.
Interests.
Self-interest.
Cost.
After weighing the options, it’s just business. People who have lived for decades wouldn’t easily lose their temper.
Grandfather of Ge Feng,
the patriarch of the Ge family, had a smile on his wrinkled face.
"Ha ha, Tang Qing really knows how to make an offer. However, I like the number six, it’s very lucky, but I don’t like ten. So, two sixes—that’s twelve. Reply to Tang Qing, if it’s acceptable, let’s sign the contract."
"Isn’t that too high?" Ge Feng’s uncle said.
"Our goal is to establish a cooperative relationship with Tang Qing. Being petty makes a bad impression," Ge Feng’s grandfather waved his hand.
"Okay, then I’ll let Xiaofeng negotiate with Tang Qing."
"Hmm."
Just like that,
a "big sucker" was born. However, it’s only because they don’t feel wronged.
On the other side,
hearing his family’s decision,
Ge Feng was speechless.
This family,
really acts like money is no object, not even blinking at six hundred million dollars. But then again, even he doesn’t know how much money the Ge family actually has. Having rooted in the United States for over a century, their foundation is profound.
But he knows that just from his father’s line alone, the total property value is no less than Tang Qing’s net worth, not to mention the several uncles and extended relatives—one can only guess how much wealth the family controls.
He just needs to honestly be a wealthy fifth-generation.
"Tang Qing, our family is very sincere, twelve percent," Ge Feng dialed Tang Qing’s number again.
Tang Qing immediately agreed, "Okay, I’ll follow your lead. Cash or assets?"
"Cash."
"Deal."
Less than half an hour later,
a six hundred million dollar deal was reached.
Tang Qing wasn’t surprised at all.
The Ge family,
after such a long investigation,
he had completely understood them: a family controlling massive wealth, conservatively estimated to possess at least one hundred and fifty billion dollars in assets.
A large portion is fixed own-production, scattered globally—land, minerals, raw materials.
A small portion is financial assets.
In the United States, they are not too big nor too small a capitalist family.
In the Chinese community in the United States, their assets could easily rank first. However, their stocks and asset allocation are fairly scattered; no single family member holds more than five billion dollars.
Additionally, the Chinese often like to conceal their capabilities.
Controlled through offshore companies,
hence they almost never appear on the rich list.
For Chinese in America, it is hard to blend into mainstream society. Ge Feng’s father, being a Congressman, had also paid a considerable price. Thus, the Ge family’s principle is to unite Chinese, supporting their own.
If they can’t integrate, they unite among themselves.
In Silicon Valley,
the Ge family heavily invests in technology companies founded by Chinese immigrants in America, hoping to see the emergence of a world-class Chinese tycoon. Unfortunately, none has emerged yet, which is quite disappointing, but they haven’t given up.
Six hundred million dollars.
Indeed shows some sincerity.
It is a kind of "support" from the Ge family.
This also constitutes a significant reason why Tang Qing agreed to the Ge family repurchasing the stocks. If they were only looking to make money by hitching a ride, Tang Qing wouldn’t bother with them. Of course, Microcrystalline Technology wouldn’t be valued at just billions in the future.
But,
for such a family of Chinese-American political and business figures, he also had thoughts of establishing beneficial connections, certainly better than those only exploiting their own people.
This six hundred million dollars.
Tang Qing didn’t really mind.
But having it was better than not. This money could be invested into the expansion of Microcrystalline Technology, acquiring similar companies, self-propagating, and advancing into the upstream and downstream sectors of the photovoltaic industry—many plans could be realized ahead of schedule.
