Chapter 48

Habi is a German Jew who ran a small business in Germany and was quite successful. After accumulating his wealth over the years, he heard that the East was full of gold. With 10,000 marks as capital and another 20,000 marks borrowed, he purchased a batch of pianos, hoping to make his fortune in the East. However, upon arriving in Shanghai, he found that the city and the East were not what he had expected. There was no market for pianos at all.

With his funds dwindling and unable to make ends meet, Habi held onto his pianos, helpless and unable to sell a single one. At the time, the popular items in the East were cotton cloth, cotton yarn, matches, cement, and even firearms and ammunition. The so-called art pieces, like pianos, were not in demand. There were probably no more than 20 pianos in all of Shanghai, most of which were in the possession of foreigners or in high-end cafes, which were already saturated. Despite his efforts, he failed to sell a single piano in the Far East.

With no other options and his travel funds almost depleted, Habi sought help from a few friends, who could only provide him with some money. As for selling pianos, not even at a loss could he find a buyer. Every day, he could only spend his afternoons in a bar.

"Sir, may I sit down?" A pleasant voice, with a pure accent, caught Habi's attention. He opened his eyes, his dim gaze falling on a tall and handsome Easterner standing beside him. Unlike the timid people of Qing, this man seemed calm, his eyes showing equality, not subservience or fear.

"Are you Japanese? Hello?" Habi asked in the limited Japanese he had learned from a German on the ship back to Japan.

"No, I am not Japanese, I am Chinese!" Yang Yuanzhao replied in German.

German was Yang Yuanzhao's second foreign language. He had learned it to understand the global trends in engine technology, which were dominated by Germany. He never expected to use it here.

Hearing the long-lost German, Habi's eyes widened. "Who are you?"

"I am here to help you," Yang Yuanzhao said earnestly.

Habi finally sobered up, sensing a business opportunity. His innate Jewish business acumen made him sit up straight, straighten his clothes, and say, "The pianos I represent are from the medieval court..."

"Enough, don't talk about your pianos. I'm not buying them!" Yang Yuanzhao interrupted Habi's lengthy explanation without hesitation.

Yang Yuanzhao's words seemed to strip away Habi's last hope. He became dejected again, muttering, "I knew it, I'm not cut out to be a businessman!"

"Who said you're not cut out to be a businessman? I'm looking for someone to collaborate with. Would Mr. Habi be interested?"

Collaborate? Habi asked cautiously, "What do you want to do?"

"This isn't the place to talk. Let's go somewhere else."

Habi, somewhat dazed, mechanically followed Yang Yuanzhao out of the bar. They called two rickshaws and quickly left the low-end bar district.

The rickshaws jolted along, and everything around him seemed to fade away. In a daze, he didn't even know where he was.

The rickshaws soon arrived at a street near the heart of the French Concession, a stark contrast to the previous area. This was the most prosperous part of the French Concession, home to almost all French trading companies and entertainment venues and hotels. When Habi first arrived in China, he lived on this street, but as his funds dwindled, he quickly moved away and never recovered.

The rickshaws stopped outside the Central Hotel. Habi knew this place; on the second floor was a French restaurant that had become popular in Shanghai. Not only the wealthy in the concessions but also some Chinese merchants frequented it. A meal of foie gras cost 100 silver dollars, which Habi, even in his most prosperous times, had never considered. A single meal cost 100 marks, and his total funds were only 20,000 marks, which he had almost lost.

"Sir, what are you doing?"

"Having dinner. Don't you like it here? We can go somewhere else!" Yang Yuanzhao tilted his head and asked, "Do you know any place that serves good German cuisine?"

"Let's stay here!" Habi didn't know what Yang Yuanzhao was up to, but he wisely decided to keep quiet. He sensed an opportunity. He was already down to his last pair of pants; what more could he lose?

Habi mechanically followed Yang Yuanzhao into the luxurious hotel. To be honest, they didn't look like people who could enter the Central Hotel, but the French waiters welcomed them warmly and treated them like VIPs. Yang Yuanzhao nodded in approval; this was indeed well-managed. Just this point alone would attract many Chinese. The hotel was almost full, with half the guests being foreigners and the other half Chinese, all enjoying their lunch.

"I'll have foie gras, black caviar..." Yang Yuanzhao, fluent in French, ordered from the all-French menu. French was one of the foreign languages he knew, though not as proficient as German, it was enough to handle the menu.

Yang Yuanzhao put down the menu and looked at the still-dazed Habi. "I've ordered. What would you like?"

Habi looked at Yang Yuanzhao in surprise. Yang Yuanzhao's fluent German had already impressed him, and his knowledge of French and the way he ordered the dishes were spot on. Habi knew that many Chinese who pretended to be sophisticated often ordered dishes they didn't understand, not knowing that French cuisine had specific rules, such as the order of courses. Habi himself only had a basic understanding, and he saw the French waiter's mouth almost drop open in surprise. Clearly, Yang Yuanzhao knew what he was doing and was very familiar with the cuisine.

"I'll have the same."

The menu was handed to the waiter, and Yang Yuanzhao began to observe the surroundings. Compared to the luxurious French restaurants of the future, this one was lacking, but for this era, it was considered high-end. All the waiters were French, and the menu was in French, giving it an authentic French flavor.

Yang Yuanzhao had ordered classic French dishes, and the food arrived quickly. Various dishes were soon placed on the table. Habi looked at Yang Yuanzhao with a complex expression. This meal alone cost at least 300 marks. Even when he was full of ambition in Germany, he wouldn't have been so extravagant. He never imagined that in the East, in his destitute state, he would enjoy such a feast.

Putting aside all thoughts, he decided to enjoy the meal first. Habi picked up his knife and fork and began to eat heartily.

Yang Yuanzhao had been observing Habi since the bar. He was looking for a collaborator, someone to run a trading company. Ordinary bankrupt individuals were not his choice. He needed someone with vision and the ability to fully execute his will. After observing for three days, he had seven candidates, and he ultimately chose Habi. In Habi, he saw many qualities of the Jewish people, which was the key to his decision.

Neither of them spoke, just silently enjoying the meal. To be honest, the French cuisine was excellent. Having traveled the world with a convoy and visited the most authentic French restaurants in Paris, Yang Yuanzhao found that the food here was not much worse. In the early 20th century, ingredients were still mostly natural, without the use of fertilizers or other chemicals, making the dishes truly authentic. The restaurant's owner had replicated French cooking procedures, and even the chefs were renowned French chefs, ensuring the perfect experience.

Yang Yuanzhao savored the flavors, nodding in approval. As for Habi, who hadn't had a proper meal in days, he devoured the food like a whirlwind. Habi sat still, like a lamb awaiting slaughter, waiting for Yang Yuanzhao's verdict. Just this one meal was enough to hire him. He was no longer the businessman he was in Germany but a completely bankrupt individual. If he hadn't come to the Far East, he would have ended up in prison in Germany, burdened by a 20,000-mark debt, which felt like a mountain on his shoulders.