readsfreenovel Chapter 45 Chronicles of Hong Kong in the Past 3
Chapter 45 Chronicles of Hong Kong in the Past 3
By December, Liu Yuxi had received acceptance emails from several universities. After weighing her options, she chose to study Economics and Management at Oxford University in the UK. She figured she'd be a boss for the rest of her life in this world. Even with subordinates doing the work, you still need to know a thing or two. Otherwise, a clueless boss with a calculating but careless subordinate will inevitably face bankruptcy. So, one must understand the principle that "relying on yourself is worse than relying on anyone else!"
And since they're both in the UK, she was hoping to bump into Zhang Fazong, hehe!
After receiving the admission notice, the whole family was overjoyed. Liu Yuxi is only 11 years old. Lao Bao and his wife booked a hotel and hosted a banquet for all their relatives, friends and business partners. Banquets hosted by wealthy families are not just simple meals; most of them are for business exchanges. But this time, Lao Bao genuinely wanted to show off his daughter.
Liu Yuxi also invited Wang Sihai over and introduced him to many bigwigs in Hong Kong. As the niece of these bigwigs, she was now someone else's child and was remembered by the bigwigs and their families, who instructed the younger generation to keep in touch with her.
Then came the preparations for her luggage. Her father gave her money directly, while her aunt bought her clothes and jewelry, as she couldn't tarnish the Bao family's reputation while traveling. When it came to her mother, she became unusually sentimental, repeatedly exclaiming, "My daughter has grown up!" But since money, clothes, and jewelry were already provided, her mother said, "You know I don't have much money, so I won't give you any. You must carefully keep the money your father gives you; don't flaunt it. If something happens in an unfamiliar place, it'll be difficult to handle. Of course, don't deprive yourself. If you really need more money, just tell the family. The family will never be short of your meager savings. Ask for as much as you can and save it. After all, you're a girl, and you'll only have a dowry. Don't worry, I'm saving it for you too. Of course, it's best if you don't need it!"
Listening to her mother's conflicted concern, Liu Yuxi was both amused and exasperated. She didn't know if having such a mother was a good thing or a bad thing. However, most of the time, Liu Yuxi was relaxed, and her relationship with her mother was more like that of friends. Her mother had a very clear understanding of herself and knew how to be content, never coveting what wasn't hers. As for Liu Yuxi's upbringing, she had left it to Lao Bao and the first wife from a young age. After all, what could she possibly raise? With her petty-bourgeois perspective. The most valuable thing about a person is self-awareness and never coveting what isn't theirs; that way, life will be easier. Just like her mother, who was definitely the most relaxed one in the Bao family; Lao Bao and the first wife would sometimes give her extra money when they were in a good mood.
She went to the company again later to check on the current work progress and left some songs. She didn't give him the script yet, since she'd be back during her April vacation. For wealthy people, going anywhere is convenient. She could give it to him later depending on the company's situation.
In early January, Liu Yuxi arrived in Oxford, England. Her family had bought her a small villa near the school, surrounded by professors and students. Her uncle also accompanied her. Since English and Cantonese were the common languages in Hong Kong at that time, there was no need to worry about her uncle's language skills. They even arranged for a chef who was proficient in Sichuan and Shandong cuisine to accompany her, because Liu Yuxi was a foodie and a picky eater! School started in mid-January, so she could explore England first. As for the area around the school, she could explore it after school started.
After the start of the semester, in addition to her major courses, Liu Yuxi minored in psychology. After all, the most difficult thing to understand is the human heart, so this is something worth learning. Liu Yuxi has always been serious about her studies. Perhaps she suffered from not studying hard enough in the real world, so she takes every learning opportunity in each world she travels to very seriously. Now middle-aged, she clearly understands that what she learns is what truly belongs to her; having more skills is never a burden.
Liu Yuxi's daily routine consists of school, library, and home. During her breaks, she goes out to play with her classmates. After all, those who can get into this school are all talented people. She also actively participates in various school activities, which will become her network in the future!
Every semester break, she would return to Hong Kong. Partly because her family worried about her young age, and partly because she needed to keep a close eye on the company's development. After two years, Liu Yuxi's Universal Entertainment Company had already made a name for itself, launching popular singers, mainly due to their good songs. Currently, most mainstream music in Hong Kong consists of covers of Japanese songs—Japanese melodies with Cantonese lyrics—or English songs, or local songs with Cantonese opera influences. Liu Yuxi's original songs, however, were very well-received, and several of her singers were currently enjoying great success. The television dramas she produced also saw a surge in ratings, and her relationships with ATV and TVB were now very harmonious. High ratings for her dramas had a positive impact on these stations, and now both stations were making concessions when negotiating collaborations with Universal.
In the latter half of 73, having witnessed the lucrative nature of the entertainment industry, Lao Bao agreed to her request to establish a cinema chain. However, Liu Yuxi's shareholding in the chain was not as high. As a seasoned businesswoman, Lao Bao was not about to let someone else handle such a golden goose. Liu Yuxi contributed some capital and offered some suggestions, holding a 30% stake in Bao's cinema chain. The contract stipulated that Liu Yuxi's shares could not be diluted under any circumstances, which satisfied her. If this project hadn't affected some people's interests and required Lao Bao's name, she would have preferred to do it herself, since she was now wealthy.
However, having Lao Bao (Old Bao) involved had many advantages, namely, everything was done very quickly. Taking advantage of Hong Kong's expansion, Lao Bao simultaneously acquired over a dozen plots of land and began construction on cinemas, completing everything from land acquisition to completion in just six months—a testament to speed and efficiency. As for record distribution, the initial collaboration was with PolyGram Records Hong Kong, a newly established company. After familiarizing themselves with the record distribution process and calculating the costs of setting up a distribution company, Liu Yuxi chose to invest in and acquire a stake in PolyGram. After all, the lifespan of cassette tapes and records was short, and Liu Yuxi felt it was better not to try to control everything himself.
Because Huanyu Entertainment doesn't monopolize profits, it collaborates with other companies in the industry on every project. Liu Yuxi focuses on a high-quality strategy. When casting, if the company's contracted actors are not suitable, they will look for people from other companies or hold open auditions. Therefore, the industry peers have never made things difficult for Huanyu Entertainment. After all, they have Lao Bao (Bao Yonghao) standing behind them. It's always better to make money peacefully in business!