Chapter 447 Tremendous Impact, The Real Estate Tycoons' Worries
As soon as Lin Haoran finished speaking, Chen Songqing chuckled over the phone, his tone carrying a hint of probing:
"Mr. Lin, as you know, the Hong Kong real estate market has been in turmoil recently because of your sell-offs. Everyone is now on edge.
If this situation continues, it will certainly have a major impact on the real estate sector.
After all, as the boss of Jardines Matheson, your influence in Hong Kong is immense.
Neither your Jardines Matheson Group nor our Ka Nin Group, nor any of the other major real estate companies, want to see a sudden real estate crisis erupt.
Although Ka Nin Group is sizable, in the face of this situation, we're struggling too."
"So, I wanted to discuss whether we could cooperate to stabilize market sentiment," Chen Songqing proposed.
Lin Haoran raised an eyebrow, feeling a bit amused.
Although he had struck several profitable deals with this "sucker" before, he knew very well what Ka Nin Group's future held.
Ka Nin Group looked glamorous on the surface but was actually heavily indebted, with an extremely tight cash flow.
Now, with even slight market tremors, Ka Nin Group could very well be the first major company to collapse.
Chen Songqing's call was clearly an attempt to borrow Lin Haoran's influence and capital to steady the situation—and to save himself.
"And what exactly do you suggest, Mr. Chen?" Lin Haoran asked calmly, feigning ignorance.
Sensing that Lin Haoran had not immediately rejected him, Chen Songqing quickly added:
"Mr. Lin, I think we could jointly issue a statement expressing our confidence in Hong Kong's real estate market.
At the same time, we could announce some new investment projects to inject a shot of confidence into the public.
This way, the panic among citizens could be alleviated, and the market might gradually stabilize."
Lin Haoran sneered internally.
Chen Songqing's plan was cunning—using Lin Haoran's reputation to calm the market, buying himself time to breathe.
But Lin Haoran had no intention of agreeing.
Cooperate with Ka Nin Group?
He avoided them like the plague!
That's why he had instructed Jardines Matheson to sell off all projects involving Ka Nin Group.
Even Li Jiacheng had become wary of dealing with Chen Songqing, refusing to easily get involved.
Some sharp-eyed tycoons were already aware of the hidden dangers behind Ka Nin Group.
Knowing how Ka Nin Group would eventually collapse, Lin Haoran would never tie himself to it.
In blunt terms, Chen Songqing was a walking disaster—and associating too closely would inevitably drag others into the abyss.
After a moment's pause, Lin Haoran replied slowly:
"Mr. Chen, your proposal makes sense.
However, the current market sentiment is too unstable.
Issuing a statement hastily may have limited effect.
Moreover, you're aware of my current situation—I'm still facing significant financial pressure.
While my trip to America helped cover part of the gap, managing a large enterprise like Jardines Matheson demands prudence.
I can't risk reckless expansion."
Lin Haoran's meaning was clear:
No cooperation. Period.
Hearing this, Chen Songqing's heart sank.
He had thought Lin Haoran would lend a hand for the sake of mutual interest among real estate magnates.
After all, Lin Haoran's cash reserves should be considerable now.
But it seemed clear: Lin Haoran wasn't going to help.
Suppressing his anxiety, Chen Songqing continued to persuade:
"Mr. Lin, the current market turbulence affects us all.
If we don't act quickly, the entire Hong Kong property market might descend into chaos, and then everyone will suffer heavy losses."
Lin Haoran smiled faintly, his voice carrying deeper meaning:
"Mr. Chen, you are right.
However, the market has its own rules.
As businessmen, we must follow the trend, not fight against it.
The current situation isn't something that a single statement can fix."
Hearing the clear rejection hidden in Lin Haoran's words, Chen Songqing felt utterly disheartened.
Still unwilling to give up, he pleaded:
"Mr. Lin, considering our past successful collaborations, can you reconsider?
If the market continues to deteriorate, Ka Nin Group might..."
Frankly, Lin Haoran felt no sympathy for Ka Nin Group.
Chen Songqing had built his empire through fraudulent loans and exploiting shareholders.
Nevertheless, Lin Haoran decided to toss him a bone—if only to avoid triggering a real estate collapse that might also harm his interests.
Smiling, Lin Haoran said:
"Mr. Chen, although I have no plans to collaborate closely with Ka Nin Group, I can tell you this:
There won't be a real estate crisis in Hong Kong in the short term.
Perhaps soon, the market will recover and flourish again."
"Oh? Mr. Lin, what insight do you have to guarantee that?" Chen Songqing asked eagerly, clinging to hope.
He knew better than anyone how fragile Ka Nin Group was.
If the property market stayed strong, he could relax.
But if it cracked, he'd be doomed.
Thus, hearing Lin Haoran's reassuring words brought him a rare sense of relief.
"This matter—I won't disclose too much detail.
Just rest assured, Mr. Chen.
I can't guarantee everything, but at least in the short term, Hong Kong won't see a real estate collapse," Lin Haoran said.
"Alright then.
Thank you, Mr. Lin.
I won't disturb you further.
I'll trust your word!" Chen Songqing said nervously, ending the call.
Hardly had Lin Haoran hung up when the phone rang again.
He shook his head, a bit exasperated—so many calls today!
This time, the caller was another real estate magnate: Mr. Lo Ying Kwan, Chairman of Great Eagle Holdings.
Although Great Eagle wasn't quite a first-tier property company, it was still highly influential.
Lo's purpose was similar to Chen Songqing's:
He hoped Lin Haoran would publicly express confidence to stabilize the public's nerves.
Lin Haoran hadn't expected that his own actions could ripple across the entire city so profoundly.
Still, he had no regrets about selling off properties at peak prices.
If he had waited just a few more months, cashing out would have become much harder.
As for Lo Ying Kwan, Lin Haoran gave him the same reassurance he had given Chen Songqing:
There would be no real estate crisis in the short term.
Soon, more real estate tycoons called him for similar reasons.
Each time, Lin Haoran calmly reassured them.
He neither promised specific actions nor completely closed the door.
After taking the final call, Lin Haoran leaned back into his chair, deep in thought.
It was clear that the media's reports had profoundly shaken the real estate giants.
Even after only half a day, the panic among the public and the slump in transaction data had rattled these tycoons.
Normally, an individual's actions wouldn't cause such a wide ripple effect.
But Lin Haoran was no ordinary individual.
He had acquired the largest real estate company in Hong Kong and controlled multiple top firms.
Since entering the business world, he had almost never lost.
Even the mighty Jardine Matheson had fallen before him.
Thus, when reports hinted that Lin Haoran might be bearish on the property market, how could ordinary citizens not panic?
The media's tactics had been shrewd.
With just a few articles, they had stirred Hong Kong's real estate market into a frenzy.
Lin Haoran had to admire the mastermind behind it.
Business, indeed, was like warfare—full of intrigue and surprises.
Still, their scheme would ultimately fail.
Those who thought they could paint Lin Haoran as the villain responsible for crashing the real estate market were dreaming.
During all those phone calls, Lin Haoran had already devised a counter-strategy.
And the solution was simple—he didn't need to do anything.
In just a few more days, the rumors about him losing faith in Hong Kong's property sector would naturally collapse on their own.
All he had to do now was wait.
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