Chapter Sixteen: Grand Opening

The three girls’ fields of study were interrelated, and Wei Hua’s question touched upon all their specialties, so each of them knew the answer, though Kathleen was the first to respond. Wei Hua followed up with another question:

“Can I set up a company in the Cayman Islands first, then establish a private investment company in the United States, and use the Cayman company to fully own my U.S. investment company?”

“Yes!” This time it was Jessie who answered. “But why would you do that? As far as I know, only companies dedicated to laundering money for gangs operate that way. Is your company set up for money laundering?”

“Of course not! I can assure you, my private investment company will make a lot of money—much more than you can imagine. But I’m not an American, and I’m worried about potential trouble in the future. That’s why I want to establish a company in the Cayman Islands first, then use it to control my U.S. investment company. It’ll help me avoid a lot of issues down the line.” Wei Hua was indeed thinking ahead; once the mainland began its reforms and opening up, he planned to channel vast amounts of capital, technology, talent, and everything else needed there. At that point, the U.S. government wouldn’t simply ignore him, so he had to prepare in advance.

“I see. It’s quite simple to set up a company in the Cayman Islands. All you need to do is provide the company’s name and pay the registration fees, and the paperwork will be handled quickly and delivered straight to you,” Mary explained.

“In that case, Miss Mary, I’m not very familiar with these processes, so I’d like to ask you for a favor—help me establish a private company in the Cayman Islands, then use it to set up a private investment company in the U.S. Let’s call the Cayman company ‘Shining Harmony’ and the U.S. investment company ‘Excellence Private Investment.’ I’ll pay you a commission—consider it a business deal between us. What do you think?”

“Sounds good!” Jessie chimed in. “Mary, the three of us can handle this together, and we might learn something valuable from the experience. What do you think?”

“I agree!” Mary replied, and Kathleen nodded in support. So, the three women began negotiating with Wei Hua about the commission.

A little over a month later, one evening, the three girls came to see Wei Hua, handing him some documents. Wei Hua knew his companies were now officially established. After a quick review, seeing nothing amiss, he asked the three girls:

“Tell me—how would you like me to thank you? Whatever you name, I’ll make it happen!”

“We want you to personally prepare an authentic Chinese banquet for us, and let’s set it for this Sunday. How about it?” Kathleen asked.

“No problem!” Wei Hua replied with delight.

“Now that the paperwork is done, what’s your next step?” Mary asked, with Jessie and Kathleen watching him closely.

“What else? Deposit the funds into the company account, then invest them in the stock and futures markets! This is a prime opportunity. I’ve received word—the war is ending soon, and American troops will withdraw from Vietnam by March at the latest. And the dollar is depreciating; the government is pushing for legalization of a floating exchange rate, though that decision is still pending and may take some time. Don’t you think we can profit from this news?”

“Is your information reliable?” Mary asked.

“Absolutely! If you don’t believe me, wait and see. I know little about the financial markets; even though I have some news, I can’t predict its impact. So I’d like to hire the three of you as my investment advisors. Your fee will be fifteen percent of the profits from each investment—five percent each. What do you think? Don’t worry, if an investment fails, you won’t bear any risk.”

“I’m in! Why wouldn’t I be? Only a fool would refuse!” Kathleen declared.

“Wei Hua, we’re friends, and as your friend, I want to remind you—the stock and futures markets are risky. Be careful not to lose your ten thousand dollars,” Mary cautioned.

“Don’t worry! My investments are not aimless, which is why I want you as advisors. I’ll share all the news I receive with you, then invest according to your recommendations. As long as your analysis is sound, there’s no reason we should lose money. My information is timely and accurate!”

“All right! Since you say so, we’ll take your word for it. I suppose you don’t need to rent an office, since you’re only managing your own ten thousand dollars and have no other clients. Shouldn’t we go out and celebrate? I’ve heard that’s a tradition among your people,” Kathleen suggested.

“A celebration is in order—tonight, dinner’s on me! A feast for all three of you. As for the Excellence company, it will never have other clients; the funds it manages will always be my own. Just wait and see!”