Chapter 309: A $50 Million Shipbuilding Deal
"Are you having trouble finding artists, or is it writers that are hard to come by?" Yang Wendong asked in response.
Back when the company was just getting started, Yang Wendong had personally provided the creative concept for Calabash Brothers. With a small team, the illustrators also helped with plot details, as most of them had some basic storytelling sense.
But now that Black Cat Detective needed a complete rewrite from scratch, a professional scriptwriting team was essential. This created a clearer division of labor.
Of course, there were people who could do both well, which was ideal—but departments still needed to remain distinct.
Wu Hailin replied, "We've been able to find a few, but hiring in large numbers has been a challenge. Over the past six months, I've been working with the Changxing Group's HR department to recruit citywide in Hong Kong. We've managed to hire about 20 people, but it's been tough to find more since then."
"There are just too few people in Hong Kong," Yang Wendong nodded.
Even in his previous life, many companies would spend months—sometimes half a year—trying to recruit niche professionals, and that was with the internet. Now, with Hong Kong's population sitting at just 3 million, it was no surprise that people skilled in comic illustration were few and far between. It wasn't a viable career path before, so few studied it.
"Yes," Wu Hailin continued. "I'm thinking of trying Taiwan. The population base is larger—maybe we'll find more there."
"Sure, coordinate with the HQ's HR department," Yang Wendong said, then asked, "What about mainland China? Can we source people from there?"
Wu Hailin shook his head. "That's probably not going to work. I have no way to contact them—unless you go through official channels."
"I'll look into that," Yang Wendong said after a moment. "Even if we can't bring people over, maybe we can collaborate and outsource some tasks to them."
Before the reform and opening-up, the mainland already had substantial trade cooperation with overseas partners—especially in commodities like petroleum, grain, minerals, and industrial equipment.
So as long as it was a standard business collaboration, there was precedent. And even if there wasn't, Yang Wendong was confident he could create one.
China had been developing comics since the 1950s and still had relevant departments and talent—resources he could definitely use.
"Understood," Wu Hailin nodded.
"Also," Yang Wendong added, "coordinate with Changxing Industries to start developing character figurines. Let's see how the market responds."
"The Calabash Brothers figurines will launch next month," Wu Hailin reported. "Our market surveys show they're very popular with kids. The only thing left is finalizing the retail price."
"Try following Rongyao Electronics' pricing model—set it high at first, then adjust with discounts. If sales are good, bring the price back up. If not, just keep it discounted."
"Got it," Wu Hailin said with a grin.
Yang Wendong asked again, "I'm thinking of bringing Calabash Brothers to the big screen. What do you think?"
"To the big screen? You mean a movie or an animated film?" Wu Hailin asked.
"A movie," Yang Wendong replied. "That way more people can see it. I already own my own theater chain, so we don't need to worry about distribution."
In this era, television ownership was still rare, so movies had a far broader reach. It wouldn't be until the emergence of TVB—and the economic boom that put a television in every home—that the dynamic flipped.
Changxing Real Estate's theater chain had originally been established as a pretext to acquire land. Since Shaw Brothers and Cathay were exclusive about their films and operated in closed loops, Changxing's cinemas couldn't get their movies.
But Hong Kong had more than just those two film companies. There were many smaller studios, and Changxing Theaters worked with them instead.
This complementary relationship gave small production companies an outlet beyond Shaw and Cathay, while providing Changxing with a steady stream of films. Moreover, because Changxing didn't produce films itself, it had no conflicts of interest—making it a fair and neutral exhibitor. This, in turn, boosted the overall market.
It was just one of many ways the Changxing Group's influence rippled across Hong Kong society.
"I know animated films," Wu Hailin said, "We can make one, but it would take a huge amount of time and manpower—and we'd have to do everything ourselves."
Yang Wendong thought for a moment. "That's true. It would take too long. Start making preparations, and if we're short on talent, have HR reach out to Southeast Asia. I don't believe we can't find people there."
"Understood," Wu Hailin nodded.
In any company, talent was the most important asset. And in Changxing Culture, that truth couldn't have been clearer.
Even though Yang Wendong had dozens of story ideas in his head, without people, they were useless.
It wasn't just comic artists he needed. Writers with backgrounds in literature, science, general knowledge—even niche specialties—were essential to craft imaginative plots and characters.
Still, there was no rush. The current focus was on carefully producing quality works rooted in Chinese culture. In the process, the team would grow and mature. Then they could reintroduce the iconic titles of his past life and push into the overseas market.
January 7, Monday.
Yang Wendong returned once again to Tokyo.
At the Imperial Hotel, a well-dressed man greeted him respectfully. "Mr. Yang, this presidential suite is prepared just for you. Everything here is a token of our sincerity.
These two attendants will assist you during your stay. They speak both Cantonese and English, so feel free to instruct them directly."
As he finished, two young women in kimonos approached, lightly made up. They bowed deeply to Yang Wendong.
"How old are they?" Yang Wendong asked, already understanding the implication.
There were rumors that Japanese conglomerates groomed a select group of young women—not only beautiful and well-proportioned, but also well-educated in academics, culture, and etiquette.
They weren't just ornaments. These women possessed intellect and refinement—an essential combination when dealing with the political and business elites targeted by these conglomerates.
"They're both 21," the man replied with a smile.
"Alright. I'll rest for today. Tomorrow I'll visit your company," Yang Wendong nodded.
"Very good. Please enjoy your stay."
After a good night's rest—
The next day, Yang Wendong visited the headquarters of Mitsui Shipbuilding, located in Tokyo's Ginza district.
"Mr. Yang," said Zheng Yuhua, who was already waiting with several executives from Changxing Shipping.
"Do we have all the materials ready?" Yang Wendong asked.
Two months earlier, Yang Wendong had visited several Japanese shipyards, touring their proudest products—oil tankers and large bulk carriers.
The follow-up negotiations were handled by Zheng Yuhua and senior management at Changxing Commerce. Support staff from headquarters had also been dispatched to Tokyo to ensure smooth communication and quick feedback to Hong Kong.
"We're fully prepared," Zheng Yuhua confirmed.
"Alright," Yang Wendong nodded.
Then Zheng Yuhua introduced several executives from Mitsui Shipbuilding and Mitsui Bank. After a round of greetings, everyone took their seats.
A middle-aged Japanese man walked to the front, switched on a slide projector, and inserted a film reel. A photo of a massive oil tanker appeared on the screen at the front of the meeting room.
He began his presentation: "Mr. Yang, Ms. Zheng, this is currently the largest oil tanker we manufacture at Mitsui Shipbuilding. Its deadweight is 125,000 tons, and its key features include…"
Yang Wendong sat quietly, listening attentively.
Although his first visit two months ago had been to Mitsubishi Shipbuilding in Osaka, these kinds of decisions ultimately depended on a combination of factors: price, value for money, and various technical and financial considerations.
This time, Yang Wendong had come with a huge appetite, which naturally attracted the attention of numerous Japanese shipbuilders and the powerful consortiums behind them. After a round of fierce competition and internal evaluation on his side, Mitsui Shipbuilding emerged as the most promising candidate.
The presentation continued. The speaker cycled through several slides, showcasing all of Mitsui's main ship models.
An hour later, the introduction concluded. The speaker turned to Yang Wendong and asked with a smile, "Mr. Yang, is there anything else you'd like to know?"
"I won't ask about technical specifications," Yang Wendong replied. "But if we move forward with this cooperation, I will be sending a team to participate in the construction process. That way, it'll be easier for us to handle future maintenance."
"That won't be an issue," the speaker said.
Shipbuilding was highly complex, and the Japanese weren't the least bit worried about someone learning their secrets just by observing. Even if they gave you a front-row seat, most wouldn't understand what they were seeing. Besides, the core lay in the industrial chain.
"Good," Yang Wendong nodded.
Then Zheng Yuhua said, "In that case, let's move on to discuss pricing, payment terms, and delivery schedule."
"Of course," said an older Japanese man with a beaming smile. "Mr. Yang, Ms. Zheng, your company has proposed to purchase 2 oil tankers of 125,000 tons, 5 oil tankers of 56,000 tons, and 3 bulk carriers of 55,000 tons.
This is our final price quote. Please have a look."
With that, a young assistant handed out several documents—one copy for Yang Wendong and one for Zheng Yuhua.
Yang Wendong glanced at it: the 125,000-ton oil tankers were priced at 13.2 million USD each, the 56,000-ton tankers at 7.6 million USD each, and the 55,000-ton bulk carriers at 4.6 million USD each.
The total: 50.8 million USD—nearly HK$300 million at current exchange rates.
Zheng Yuhua smiled and said, "Mr. Takizawa Ichiro, while we did agree on the per-ship pricing, for such a large order, surely there's room for a bit more discount on the overall total?"
Yang Wendong remained silent. As the boss, he couldn't negotiate price directly—if his subordinates made an offer, he could override it. But if he named a figure, it would be harder to walk it back.
The pricing of each type of vessel had already been negotiated back and forth by Zheng Yuhua, who compared quotes from multiple shipyards and kept Yang Wendong informed throughout the process. These numbers didn't come out of nowhere.
Takizawa Ichiro nodded. "We're happy to offer a gesture of good faith. Since this is our first cooperation with your company—and hopefully not the last—we'll deduct $800,000 from the total, bringing it down to an even $50 million."
"That's still over our budget," Zheng Yuhua replied.
She was well aware that the $800,000 discount was just a token gesture—a price cushion meant to be removed as part of the negotiation process.
Takizawa Ichiro maintained his polite smile. "Ms. Zheng, our ship prices are already among the most competitive. You're ordering ships totaling 610,000 tons. If you were buying from European shipyards, you'd be looking at $70 million or more."
"But we're here in Japan," Zheng Yuhua countered. "Naturally, we're comparing Japanese shipyards. Both Mitsubishi and Sumitomo have offered better quotes than yours."
"They may be cheaper," Takizawa Ichiro conceded, "but buying a ship is like buying a car—it's not just about size. You have to look at the engine and design. All our vessels come equipped with extremely fuel-efficient engines.
And our hulls are co-designed with European naval architects, offering superior hydrodynamics and less drag in the water."
Zheng Yuhua nodded. "I agree that your technical specs may be slightly better. But the difference is marginal. And with oil prices as low as they are right now, fuel efficiency isn't a major selling point."
Yang Wendong silently agreed.
Before the 1973 oil crisis, global fuel prices were abnormally cheap. That's why large-displacement cars were popular in the West. Even the rapid development of Hong Kong's shipping industry benefited from low fuel costs. If not for that, Hong Kong's early shipowners couldn't have succeeded with their old, fuel-guzzling second-hand vessels.
Takizawa Ichiro paused, then added, "We also provide excellent loan options. Mitsui is part of a large conglomerate with its own banking arm. Clients who purchase from us enjoy more generous financing terms than they'd get from other shipyards."
"That's one of the reasons we're leaning toward Mitsui," Zheng Yuhua acknowledged. "Let's put the pricing aside for now and focus on the financing terms. I do have one additional request."
"Please go ahead," said Takizawa Ichiro.
"In terms of interest, we're fine using the standard Japanese rate. But we'd like to increase the loan-to-value ratio by another 5%," Zheng Yuhua said.
"Five percent?" Takizawa Ichiro raised his eyebrows. "You're asking us to finance 65% of the total value?"
"Yes," Zheng Yuhua confirmed. That was the real goal.
"That's a very high percentage," Takizawa Ichiro said. "Our bank still has to assess risk."
"Mr. Takizawa," said Zheng Yuhua, "global trade has been expanding year over year. Demand for oil and bulk commodities continues to grow. Japan's imports are up as well.
In this environment, shipping is a low-risk industry."
"I agree with you in principle," Takizawa Ichiro replied. "But our internal banking policies still require strict risk controls."
"Of course," Zheng Yuhua smiled. "We've both stated our positions. Let's take some time to review internally and reconvene later. Does that sound acceptable?"
"Absolutely. That's standard procedure," Takizawa Ichiro replied.
After the meeting, Yang Wendong turned to Zheng Yuhua and asked, "Do you think we can get better pricing from other Japanese shipyards?"
"Maybe we could knock off another one or two million dollars," she replied. "But not much more. Shipbuilding is expensive, and while there's competition among shipyards, there's also a baseline. They likely coordinate behind the scenes to maintain price discipline."
Yang Wendong nodded. "Alright. Then the key point now is financing. The higher the loan coverage, the less capital we need to put in upfront."
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