How can I justify myself as a Magnate if I don't indulge myself?

Chapter 251: Drawing a Pie for the Boss



"Mr. Gu, the acquisition of Hushang Financial Center went smoothly, didn't it?" Gu Heng had just sat down when he heard Mr. Chu's voice, which made him shudder involuntarily... Others addressed him out of deference to his status, but clearly, Mr. Chu had no need for such flattery... Thus, upon hearing "Mr. Gu," Gu Heng quickly responded, "Mr. Chu, it's fine to call me Gu. With the strong support of the municipal government, the acquisition went smoothly indeed. It involved transactions of several tens of billions, and we settled everything in just over half a month." This was not Gu Heng deliberately flattering Mr. Chu, but simply stating the facts. Transactions involving tens of billions were massive, and even a half-year timeline would have been considered swift; Gu Heng's speedy resolution, besides adequate funding, relied most heavily on the robust support from the Shanghai Municipal Government... Otherwise, in Hua Country, many rich individuals could potentially muster tens of billions; why should it be him? This was something that deeply puzzled Gu Heng... Although Secretary Gao had explained it before, selecting IDE Capital was due to other large companies lacking such immense liquidity. Gu Heng believed this, but only somewhat... Thirty-five billion was indeed a lot, but for conglomerates valued in the hundreds or even thousands of billions, squeezing out such an amount was feasible. After all, taking over Hushang Financial Building would be a very profitable deal. Not to mention the appreciation potential of Hushang Building, just its yearly appreciative additional benefits were significant, likely returning the initial investment in about a decade, thereafter pure profit. A logic Gu Heng understood all too well; how could those major companies not? Thus, Gu Heng speculated there must be some unknown twists and turns... True enough, as Gu Heng finished responding, Mr. Chu revealed a faint smile, not launching into official rhetoric like Secretary Gao, declaring this deal a market free trade, but rather slowly saying, "Since Gu knows how much effort our municipal department has put in, have you considered giving something back to us?" Gu Heng: "???" Give something back? What could he offer in return? Apart from some money, what else could he give back? And this little money of his, compared to the national economic hub that is Shanghai, wasn't much, was it? Seeing the bewildered look on Gu Heng's face, Mr. Chu couldn't help but laugh a bit louder. "I was just joking, Gu doesn't need to think too much. The directive that landmark buildings such as Hushang Building must revert to domestic control was issued long ago. If not for the potential adverse impact of a state-owned enterprise taking the lead, this deal would probably have been settled already, so Gu doesn't need to feel any burden. As for what I just said, though largely in jest, there was also some truth in it." Upon hearing this, Gu Heng promptly straightened up and said formally, "Mr. Chu, just say the word. If it's within my capacity, I certainly won't shirk the responsibility. Even if I were asked to donate the Hushang Financial Center, I wouldn't hesitate." This wasn't Gu Heng feigning magnanimity; he was sincerely indifferent, as his wealth had come easily and he had no qualms about how it was spent. An edifice worth thirty-five billion was just that; if donated, could it also be considered indulgence? Perhaps the system would reward him with a couple hundred billion later, not only maximizing his favor on official levels but also filling his coffers—an absolute win-win, right? However, even if Gu Heng genuinely intended to donate, Mr. Chu wouldn't likely accept. Chasing away foreign capital only to have the building immediately donated by a domestic enterprise would seem like transferring from one hand to the other, a clear case of questionable optics. If the Shanghai Municipal Government were to take over the building, it would be truly problematic. "Eh, it's not that serious. You might dare to donate a building worth tens of billions, but I wouldn't dare to accept it." After finishing his remark, Gu knew he had assumed too much and shyly smiled, "Then what can I do?" "It's like this, the building has strong revenue capabilities. Given that you guys at IDE Capital saved quite a bit with this acquisition, could you consider setting aside some of that saved money to establish a charity foundation?" "A foundation jointly overseen by IDE Capital, and our Shanghai Municipal Government, what do you think? Of course, we wouldn't let you do this for nothing. There's still a spot for this year's 'Top Ten Outstanding Youths of Shanghai,' and I can nominate you. Given your influence online, securing the nomination should pose no problem." The Top Ten Outstanding Youths of Shanghai? What use was that? He wasn't going into politics; at most, it would serve as a shield. But as long as he maintained a good relationship with this influential figure, harboring this personal connection, who would dare trouble him in Shanghai in the future? Thinking this, Gu Heng promptly responded, "Of course, that's no problem! Our company will probably save between fifty to seventy billion in funds this time. I'll round it up and contribute a neat hundred billion to support the foundation established by the Shanghai Municipal Government, and I assure you, every year's earnings from Hushang Financial Center, after operational costs, will be fully channeled into the foundation!" This time, it was Mr. Chu's turn to be stunned... Why did Gu in front of him feel like a nave rich man's heir? Is this really how you round up numbers? From fifty billion to a hundred billion? And to direct all of its yearly revenue into it too?
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