Chapter 49

The waiter collected their utensils and respectfully asked if they needed anything else. Yang Yuanzhao nodded and said, "Bring a pot of coffee!"

Casually, Yang Yuanzhao also settled the bill, tearing off a 50-pound check from his Citibank checkbook, which made the waiter and Habib's eyes widen, especially Habib, who had long been speculating about Yang Yuanzhao's identity, never imagining he would be so wealthy.

The coffee arrived, its rich aroma filling the air. This was one of the benefits of the era—no additives or industrial processing, just the pure, original flavor. Yang Yuanzhao took a sip and said, "Mr. Habib, how do you find this meal?"

"Indeed, it lives up to its reputation, very delicious, but..."

"But what?"

"Too expensive!" Habib said sheepishly. A meal costing several hundred marks was something he had never experienced in his life, despite how delicious it was.

"Mr. Habib, you underestimate yourself. Perhaps in the future, you might want to have this every day!" Yang Yuanzhao said with a hint of meaning.

A meal costing over 500 marks every day was an unimaginable thing. Habib's mind buzzed, but he quickly regained his composure. The other party was definitely a wealthy person, and such a large investment must have a purpose. Indeed, after enjoying a delicious meal, Yang Yuanzhao got straight to the point and took out a contract.

Similar to the business plan he had seen before, it was somewhat like a modern contract, detailing the rights and obligations of each party. The contract was not short but was straightforward. It took Habib about half an hour to read through everything, line by line, afraid of missing any detail. After several readings, he realized that the contract was clearly written in both Chinese and German, with German taking precedence in case of any discrepancies.

At this moment, Habib was in a desperate situation. In his view, if no miracle occurred, bankruptcy was the only path ahead. He had thought that as long as Yang Yuanzhao offered a decent treatment, he would accept it, but he never expected it to be like this.

Habib said solemnly, "Sir, today is not April Fool's Day!"

"I know it's not April Fool's Day, I am serious."

Habib looked at Yang Yuanzhao in surprise. The clear gaze in Yang Yuanzhao's eyes showed sincerity. The terms were very generous: a monthly salary of 1000 marks, additional bonuses, and a 1% annual profit share. Even without the profit share, the bonuses alone were top-tier, not just in Shanghai but even in Germany.

At this moment, Habib had no other options. In the final moment, he seized an opportunity, even if it was a lifeline. He took a deep breath and said, "I'll do it, what do you need me to do!"

"Very good!" Yang Yuanzhao lightly clapped his hands and said, "You have the courage, and you will be proud of your decision today."

Habib, who had agreed to Yang Yuanzhao, did not know what kind of windfall had fallen on him. It was precisely the profit share he did not value that transformed him from a small businessman on the brink of bankruptcy into a powerful business tycoon.

A 5000-pound Citibank promissory note was pushed forward. Yang Yuanzhao said, "Next, use this 5000 pounds to register a trading company and start large-scale gasoline purchases. As for sales, you can do it casually in Shanghai; I don't care about that. Just make sure the gasoline is of good quality, and if the funds run out, notify me immediately."

"Yes!" Habib obediently replied.

Delegating tasks to the right person has always been Yang Yuanzhao's philosophy. Habib was the person he chose after much consideration, and he was relatively confident in him.

In the afternoon, a child brought news from Habib. The trading company had been registered, and they were now looking for a location, with three options available, hoping Yang Yuanzhao would come and see.

Yang Yuanzhao was impressed by Habib's swift action. Perhaps because of his foreign status, the engineering bureau in the concession area was less obstructive. All three locations were near the Huangpu River, the absolute core of Shanghai.

Around 3 PM, Yang Yuanzhao took a rickshaw to the first location, a four-story small villa that looked spacious and large. However, its entrance was not on the bustling Huangpu River but two intersections inland from it.

Habib waited at the door and said respectfully, "Boss, I have already arranged to meet the owner. Would you like to take a look?"

"What do you think of these three houses? After all, you will be running the trading company, I want to hear your opinion!"

"The best location is by the Huangpu River, but the surrounding area is dominated by large trading companies, which is not favorable for our development!" Habib said, glancing timidly at Yang Yuanzhao. He had just met Yang Yuanzhao, whose magnanimity impressed him. Such a good boss could not be easily offended, and anyone who could produce 5000 pounds at once was not an ordinary person in this era.

Yang Yuanzhao nodded. The area with the highest concentration of trading companies was also the place with the highest commercial value. If he were just running a trading company, he might have chosen that location, but he was not. He was using the trading company as a front, not planning to make it the main focus.

"What about the other two?"

"The other two are the one we are looking at now," Habib pointed to the small villa ahead and introduced, "This villa belongs to a German merchant who has been in China since 1890, living in Shanghai for 18 years. He is now over 50 and wants to return to Germany. I learned about this through a friend in the chamber of commerce, and the price is very reasonable!"

"How much?"

"1200 pounds!"

1200 pounds, or about 12,000 silver dollars, was not a high price in Shanghai. Since Shanghai became a haven for adventurers, the prices of houses in the concessions had been rapidly increasing. This price was at least 20% cheaper than the surrounding areas, partly due to the German merchant's urgency to return to his country. It was indeed a great deal.

Yang Yuanzhao had already made up his mind but wanted to hear about the last location to confirm Habib's true thoughts. Indeed, Habib introduced the last location, which was similar to this one, carefully selected, but it was a rental, costing 200 silver dollars per month.

Overall, Habib had done his best to select a suitable house. This location was slightly more secluded than the Bund but still in the core area of the concession, just three blocks from the Huangpu River. Not far away was a police station and some concession departments, making it a relatively safe place.

Yang Yuanzhao nodded but did not say much. Soon, the villa's manager arrived, a typical Bavarian, around 70-80 years old, but very shrewd. He led them around the house, showing them the structure and layout, but not revealing anything unnecessary.

After the tour, Yang Yuanzhao was very satisfied. With a few minor adjustments, it would be a good location for a trading company. In Yang Yuanzhao's view, his trading company would be different from others. He did not need to purchase scattered goods, and even if there were exports, they could be handled through the four major families. In a year or two, when the layout in Baotou was complete and production could be sustained, there would be no shortage of products.

"Alright, I am very satisfied with your ability. Negotiate with the owner and acquire this house. I require the trading company to be up and running within three days. Also, find me a warehouse."

"A warehouse!" Habib was puzzled, not knowing what Yang Yuanzhao needed a warehouse for, but he followed Yang Yuanzhao's instructions.

After a few days of interaction, Yang Yuanzhao had a deeper understanding of Habib's character. He had been in business for many years, with average judgment but strong execution. As long as Yang Yuanzhao assigned a task, he could complete it well. In a sense, he was Yang Yuanzhao's best choice. He needed someone obedient, not just capable, and being Jewish, there was no one more suitable than him.