Chapter 40: 100 Million in Debt, Alexander the Great

"Nephew, you are a rare guest indeed. To visit again so soon—what is the purpose this time?" He Shanheng inquired warmly, using the tone of an elder.

Lin Haoran sat composedly in his chair and responded with a smile, "Uncle He, my purpose for this visit is the same as last time: I am here to seek a loan from you."

Hearing this, He Shanheng's eyebrows twitched slightly. He said, half-joking and half-seriously, "Oh? Don't tell me you intend to use stocks as collateral again this time?"

Lin Haoran burst into laughter. "Uncle He, you truly have divine foresight! That is correct; I do indeed intend to use stocks as collateral for this loan."

Having said that, he very directly took the stock certificates for 2.5 million shares of Qingzhou Yingni from his briefcase and handed them to He Shanheng.

"Uncle He, I want to use these shares as collateral to secure an additional loan of 15 million Hong Kong dollars from Hang Seng Bank. What do you think?" Lin Haoran continued.

Although 2.5 million shares were not worth 15 million HKD at the current stock price, the gap was not massive. Given Lin Haoran's background, he would be able to secure the difference.

He Shanheng took the certificates, his gaze shifting across the papers as his brow gradually furrowed.

He set the certificates down and said earnestly to Lin Haoran, "Nephew, out of respect for my long-standing friendship with your father, I am not incapable of considering a 15-million-dollar loan against these shares. However, as an elder, I have a responsibility to remind you: the stock market is unpredictable and risks are everywhere. One must invest with caution.

I suspect you used your previous loan to purchase more Qingzhou Yingni shares, which is how you acquired these. This method of chain investment carries even greater risk. While Qingzhou Yingni has certain potential, market attention is currently low; it will not be easy for it to see a massive surge in the short term. Once the repayment deadline arrives, if you are forced to sell these shares to raise funds, the concentrated entry of such a large volume of stock into the market could very likely trigger violent price fluctuations or even a crash.

Therefore, I sincerely hope you can think calmly and avoid acting on impulse. Investing is not a game; every step requires deep deliberation. I hope you will consider this decision carefully to avoid unnecessary losses."

He Shanheng had been close friends with Lin Haoran's father, Lin Wan'an, for many years. He naturally could not stand idly by and watch his junior walk toward a potential catastrophe.

Though he had a thousand words of warning in his heart, he remembered his promise to Lin Haoran—not to disclose the matter of the loan to Lin Wan'an. He could only suppress his impulse and refrained from calling Lin Wan'an immediately.

"Thank you for your concern, Uncle He, but I naturally have my own considerations and plans. Regardless, Hang Seng Bank won't lose out, will it?" Lin Haoran said with a smile.

He Shanheng sighed, his eyes filled with complex emotions. He said to Lin Haoran, "Nephew, I understand that you have your own ideas and plans, but I must remind you that every decision requires prudence. I am not questioning your ability; I only hope you fully assess the risks to ensure everything remains within a controllable range."

"Uncle He, please rest assured. This 15-million-dollar loan I am applying for will not lead me into a cycle of debt again. I know the importance of credit and responsibility, and I understand your concerns.

In truth, even if Hang Seng Bank does not approve this loan, there are other financial institutions in the market willing to support me. However, considering the deep friendship between our families and the professionalism and stability of Hang Seng Bank, I still hope to obtain these funds from you," Lin Haoran explained sincerely.

Hearing this, He Shanheng nodded slightly, his expression softening considerably.

He sighed and said, "Nephew, since you have put it that way, I will say no more. I have given the advice I can give; the final investment decision rests with you. Remember, whether it is profit or loss, it is all part of your life. You must learn to draw lessons from it. I will approve this loan. I hope you use it well to achieve your goals."

"Uncle He, thank you very much for your trust and support. This cooperation has been pleasant, just like last time. I hope you can continue to keep this secret and not tell my father. I'm counting on you," Lin Haoran said earnestly.

He Shanheng nodded. "Don't worry, nephew. Since I promised you before, I will keep my word. I will keep it confidential from your father. However, you must also remember that whatever decision you make, you must think it through deeply to ensure every step you take is steady."

Compared to the last time, this process was much faster and more efficient.

Since all conditions followed the previous loan agreement, He Shanheng, as the Chairman of Hang Seng Bank, had the authority to expedite the approval. Consequently, the 15-million-dollar loan proceeded rapidly.

The two parties signed the contract quickly, after which He Shanheng directly instructed the finance department to transfer the funds to Lin Haoran's account. The entire procedure was concise and straightforward.

With the loan successfully resolved, a heavy weight was lifted from Lin Haoran's heart. He expressed his sincere gratitude to He Shanheng and then left the Hang Seng Bank headquarters in high spirits, ready to dive into his next plan.

With the arrival of the 15 million HKD, Lin Haoran's available funds quickly increased to over 31 million HKD, undoubtedly injecting powerful momentum into his investment plan.

However, this gain came with a heavy price—his total debt had climbed to 95 million HKD. Including interest, his liabilities were nearing 100 million HKD.

Facing a massive debt of 100 million HKD, Lin Haoran indeed felt an unprecedented pressure, as if a heavy mountain were pressing down on his shoulders.

Yet, he was not crushed by this pressure; instead, he drew motivation from it.

Because all of this was within his meticulously crafted blueprint—a challenge he had to endure to achieve his greater goals.

If this matter were leaked, people would inevitably view Lin Haoran as a mad gambler.

After all, starting with the Huafeng Cement Plant, which had a market value of only about 10 million HKD, he had managed to accumulate nearly 100 million HKD in debt through mortgage loans in just over a month.

In the eyes of many, such an act was undoubtedly extremely risky, even bordering on madness.

After leaving the Hang Seng Bank headquarters, Lin Haoran did not return directly to his company. Instead, he drove to a nearby branch of Huifeng Bank.

His purpose for this trip was to exchange the 5 million HKD in Huifeng Bank checks provided by his second and third sisters, and then deposit them entirely into the bank account linked to his stocks.

At Huifeng Bank, Lin Haoran received a warm reception from a senior manager.

The entire exchange and deposit process went exceptionally smoothly. Thanks to the professional and efficient service of the senior manager, he completed all the formalities in just half an hour.