Chapter 186: Chapter 180: Zhu Yixian: I Feel Crushed
Huh.
Lin Chu nodded thoughtfully. ’This really is a massive family with a massive business.’
’Damn, this is going to be tough.’
With so many children in their own family, not to mention the numerous elders and even more numerous younger members, they were probably already fighting a bloody battle for power and profit. An outsider wouldn’t stand a chance of getting even a tiny piece of the pie.
Unless that outsider possessed overwhelming power.
After a moment’s thought, a new idea popped into Lin Chu’s head. He smiled casually and said, "You must be under a lot of pressure, then. Do golf courses even make money these days? What about starting my own?"
It was a compromise, a more roundabout approach.
That question made him sound like a complete amateur.
Zhu Yixian smiled and explained in detail, "Since 2004, building any new golf courses has been strictly prohibited everywhere. The only exceptions are for major sporting events or government projects that get special approval. Private capital has absolutely no chance."
"However, there are existing courses that are poorly managed and on the brink of bankruptcy. Those could be acquired. But in this economic climate, it’s better to have one less thing to worry about."
"As for making money, there’s definitely still profit to be made. After all, the high-end consumer market has actually expanded, even in this climate."
He assumed Lin Chu was just asking about the industry’s business model on a whim, so he answered with considerable sincerity.
Lin Chu nodded nonchalantly.
’If that’s the case, then this is actually simple.’
’I can’t get my hands on Mission Hills, so why not just buy a different one?’
The Pearl River Delta, and indeed the entire country, had more than just this one golf course.
His line of thinking suddenly became crystal clear.
’This has been worthwhile.’
Lin Chu raised his glass and clinked it against Zhu Yixian’s with a smile.
"I’m thinking of getting one to play around with, too. You’re an insider, so you hear things before I do. If you know of any suitable courses up for sale, you could recommend one to me."
"Money isn’t an issue. As for the location, any of the four first-tier cities—the Capital City, Shanghai, Yang City, or Peng City—would be fine."
Lin Chu couldn’t be bothered to beat around the bush anymore.
This wasn’t a particularly sensitive topic. After all, even if he did open his own course, it wouldn’t be direct competition. At most, it might affect a few membership renewals at Mission Hills next year.
But that was a matter of corporate interest, not Zhu Yixian’s personal interest.
As a professional in the industry—and a member of one of the country’s most renowned golfing families—he had no reason to refuse a potential "outside ally."
Hm?
Zhu Yixian was floored when he heard this.
’He’s actually going to buy one!’
’So audacious!’
He couldn’t help but lightly lick his lips. A sudden, inexplicable sense of temptation stirred within him.
Honestly, if he could use this as an opportunity to get into Lin Chu’s inner circle, his status within that circle might be much higher than his status within his own family.
Lin Chu was an outsider. If he wanted to invest in a golf course, he wouldn’t know the business. He would definitely need an industry insider for core management. Perhaps...
Hm?
’This isn’t some kind of trap, is it?’
For a moment, all sorts of ideas raced through Zhu Yixian’s mind.
But whether it was an opportunity or a trap, nothing was set in stone yet. There was no harm in talking about it.
"Peng City currently has thirteen golf clubs. Mission Hills is one of the highest-tier ones. Of the other twelve, excluding the ones built by the government and those that will absolutely never be sold, there are about four potential options."
"Among those, I do know of one that might be looking to sell."
"It’s backed by a real estate group that’s in urgent need of cash flow. But for more information, I’ll need to do some digging. I can give you an answer within three days."
Zhu Yixian said this with great precision; when it came to industry matters like this, he knew them like the back of his hand.
Lin Chu smiled, nodded, and raised his glass again.
"Excellent!"
"I’ll be waiting for your news, then!"
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