“Brother Feng, are you in China?”
“Yes. I’m in Beijing.”
“There is a famous reporter who wants to interview you. They want to feature you on their magazine’s cover page. Are you interested?” Fu Guangzheng asked.
“You should know that I don’t like to be in the limelight.” Many reporters in the US and Europe had contacted Ralph to interview Feng Yu but was rejected.
These are all top media companies, and many people might not even get featured in these media in their lifetime. Some of these media companies had even interviewed the US President and other top countries’ leaders.
“Brother Feng, it is <Time> magazine, one of the top magazines in the world, who wants to interview. The people they interviewed in the past are powerful leaders. Also, if you agree to appear on their cover page, they will feature me on their Asian version’s cover!”
Feng Yu thought to himself. This is what you really want, right? Although Fu Guangzheng is very successful, it is not enough for him to be featured on the cover of <Time> magazine. Only people like Superman Li and Fu Rongqi are qualified to be featured on the cover for their <Time> Asia version.
“Brother Fu, are you sure that you are talking about the <Time> magazine I know? They are going to feature you on their Asian Version cover?”
Fu Guangzheng embarrassedly replied. “They said that they will be writing an article on Asia’s future top leaders, and I am one of the representatives. If you don’t agree, then they will postpone this article, and I will not be featured. Brother Feng, do you know how many people might not even get featured on their cover in their lifetime?!”
Fu Guangzheng had made lots of money last year, but his assets are not a lot. The land parcel which Li Zekai bought recently is worth more than Fu Guangzheng’s assets.
Furthermore, there are other tycoons in Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, etc. who are wealthier than Fu Guangzheng. Even Mr. Ho’s assets from Macao is several times more than him.
“Brother Fu, it’s just a magazine. Why are you making it sound like it is so prestigious to be featured there? You should know that this magazine is only an ordinary magazine that is catering to the Western countries. I am also setting up a business magazine, which is in Chinese and will be circulating in Chine, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia. I will feature you on the cover page once it is ready, alright?”
Other people might think it is an honor to be featured on <Time> magazine. But to Feng Yu, this is only a form of marketing to increase an individual’s personal brand value and that individual’s company’s value. Of course, the magazine’s sales will also increase because of the people they featured on their cover.
But that is only a magazine that features articles on politics and business. However, <Time> magazine is quite successful in their branding and circulation.
Fu Guangzheng’s shares in China are transferred to Tai Hua Holdings, and he is now one of the directors and CEO of Tai Hua Holdings. As for his own business, he is definitely one of the world’s top ten among his generation.
<Time> magazine is going to group Fu Guangzheng and Feng Yu together, and this alone made Feng Yu mad. If <Time> magazine had featured Fu Guangzheng on their Asian version cover page and then approach Feng Yu, maybe Feng Yu might agree.
<Forbes> magazine had been rejected by Feng Yu more than once and had to get Bill Gates to help them to persuade Feng Yu before Feng Yu agreed to reveal his wealth and get listed on <Forbes> Richest billionaires. That is Feng Yu’s first media interview.
<Time> magazine had been rejected by Ralph and approached Fu Guangzheng to persuade Feng Yu in exchange for benefits.
“Brother Feng, didn’t you say your magazine will be launch early this year? Why is it not ready?” Fu Guangzheng asked. He remembered Feng Yu had told him that he will issue a magazine this year, and will introduce China’s top 50 business leaders in different industries.
Although Fu Guangzheng is from Hong Kong, most of his investments are in China. Now, Hong Kong had been returned to China, and no one will say anything if he gets listed as one of China’s top business leaders.
Many people are curious about Fu Guangzheng and want to know more about him. If the magazine can interview him, it will attract a lot of readers.
“There are some problems with the interviews with those tycoons. Some of them are not willing to expose their wealth, and I think some of the data we collected is not accurate. The launch should be delayed until Lunar New Year.”
Feng Yu had not expected this to happen. He thought those tycoons will be interested in a prestigious title. Still, he underestimated how the Chinese likes to hide their wealth.
Many tycoons which Feng Yu felt are qualified to be on the list, rejected their interviews.
These people are not interested in a private business magazine. If the magazine is a national level state-run magazine, they might be interested.
Furthermore, this magazine is going to expose their net worth. What a joke! Why should I let others know how much money I have?!
What did you say? Letting others know how successful I am will impress them and give me a bigger advantage in business activities?
I don’t need all these. I want to keep my assets private!
After Zhong Qingxian knows about this, he spoke to Feng Yu. Many of these tycoons had rejected them is because they do not want to reveal the details of how they become successful.
These people might have crossed the line, done something illegal, got involved with some government officials, or some other reasons, in their early days of starting their business.
Although these people had paid back their ‘debts’ to the government, the habit of hiding their wealth still remains.
For example, many people are not willing to donate to charity. I made all this money by myself. Why should I donate my money to others? When I was poor in the past, why didn’t anyone help me?! Local governments are also forcing the successful businessmen to donate money with their authority.
Even if the local authorities are not forcing the businessmen to donate, they will also force the businessmen to increase the scale of their projects. This is the reason why Shi Dazhu become bankrupt. When he was building his skyscraper, the local authorities kept forcing him to change the designs of the building and made me spent unnecessarily.
In the end, Shi Dazhu became bankrupt.
Feng Yu had asked the top management from Tai Hua Holdings and subsidiaries to speak to those businessmen. He needs to let them understand that people’s perception of wealthy businessmen will change, and making their assets public will have more benefits. Look at Manager Feng. After he made public his assets, his business becomes more successful.
It is not easy to introduce something new and will face all sorts of difficulties. But this magazine has potential, and Feng Yu will persist.
Wind and Rain Business magazine is under Tai Hua Charity Fund, and all profits will be used for charity. This is one of the reasons why many people are willing to be featured on this list in the future.
“Brother Feng, you are not willing to be interviewed?” Fu Guangzheng asked again.
“Brother Fu, stop trying to persuade me. I can’t help you.”
“Never mind. Getting a featured interview in the magazine is also not bad. But you must let me be on the cover page of your magazine.”
“Hahaha… sure! I promise you will be famous throughout China, and your popularity will supersede Superman Li’s two sons!”
Translator notes:
Stanley Ho
