"Sir, can you exchange Renminbi for US dollars?"
Zhang Weiyang and the others followed Chen Yang into the grand hall. The opulent surroundings made them feel even more out of place.
Hearing Chen Yang's fluent English, Zhang Weiyang was once again impressed by his boss's capabilities, realizing why he dared to come to Hong Kong.
"Renminbi?"
"Yes, it's the currency of China, across from Hong Kong."
Hong Kong only used three currencies: Hong Kong Dollar, Pound Sterling, and US Dollar. Even Euros were not readily accepted, let alone Renminbi.
This was understandable. Before the reform and opening-up, China's communication and trade with the outside world were minimal, so there was no need for Renminbi exchange.
This was even more so in Hong Kong. To prevent infiltration by enemy agents, China maintained strict control over the territory. Hong Kong Dollars were not usable in mainland China, and naturally, Renminbi had no use in Hong Kong.
"Sorry, I need to consult my supervisor, sir. However, to my knowledge, our HSBC bank does not currently offer any Renminbi-related services."
If it weren't for Chen Yang's impeccable English, with a slight hint of a British accent, the counter manager might have simply dismissed them.
After all, relations between China and the Western powers were not good at the time. China was eager to reclaim Hong Kong, and the Western powers were unwilling to let go.
Although the "empire on which the sun never sets" was far from its former glory, it still clung to its last vestiges of pride, especially concerning Hong Kong, the "oriental pearl" that adorned Queen Elizabeth's crown.
"Thank you very much. If US dollars are not possible, or if it can be exchanged for Hong Kong Dollars, please inform me of the relevant exchange rates."
Chen Yang was not particularly surprised by the bank teller's response. The acceptance of Renminbi in Hong Kong was far less than it would be in the future.
Shenzhen's special economic zone had not yet been officially established. If it were next year, Hong Kong's acceptance of Renminbi would likely have improved significantly.
This was because many wealthy Hong Kong businessmen had discovered that mainland labor was incredibly cheap, so cheap that they were willing to risk investing in factories there for production.
Chen Yang leisurely found a sofa and sprawled on it. The security guards, who had initially looked down on the group of obvious mainland visitors, dared not cast any disdainful glances at Chen Yang's relaxed demeanor.
After all, many people had fled from the mainland to Hong Kong decades ago, and some of them had achieved great success and become influential figures.
Who didn't have a few poor relatives? What if they had powerful connections? Crushing a few small security guards would be as easy as flipping a hand.
"Brother, is this sofa soft?"
Looking at Chen Yang sitting on the leather sofa, even Zhang Weiyang, known for his boldness, swallowed hard at the sight of such a scene.
Big brother was indeed big brother. He acted as if he were at home in such a luxurious place, unlike them, who were like country bumpkins, fidgeting nervously.
"I apologize, sir. HSBC Bank does not currently support Renminbi to US Dollar exchange."
A short while later, the bank's service staff returned, accompanied by a woman in a professional suit.
The woman wore a hip-hugging skirt and a tight white shirt, giving her a very capable appearance.
"Hello, sir. I am the Marketing Manager of HSBC Bank. My surname is Huang. My name is Huang Lizhen. Are you from the mainland?"
A smile that could warm anyone's heart graced the woman's face. Zhang Weiyang and the others had been met with cold stares all along. This was the first time they had seen such a warm smile from someone in Hong Kong, and moreover, this woman was so beautiful. They instinctively nodded.
Chen Yang couldn't help but smile wryly. Of course, it wasn't entirely Zhang Weiyang and the others' fault. In later generations, bank tellers' smiles were standard fake smiles, but these men had never encountered them.
Furthermore, just Huang Lizhen's professional attire and short skirt were enough to captivate most Chinese men.
"Hello, Manager Huang. My name is Chen Yang, and I am from the mainland."
"To be frank, my factory needs some US dollars to purchase equipment and expand its scale. The other party requires payment in US dollars. I have a few friends in Hong Kong, and I was planning to visit and see if I could resolve the US dollar issue."
Chen Yang did not reveal all his cards. He did need US dollars to buy equipment, but the factory was not his. A bit of ambiguity would make him unfathomable.
Moreover, Chen Yang deliberately mentioned having friends in Hong Kong, which was a subtle reminder: I have people here, so don't have any ulterior motives.
This was not Chen Yang's fault for being cautious. They had over 700,000 Renminbi, which would be tens of thousands of US dollars even after conversion.
"I value my reputation and dislike troubling friends for small matters, so I hope to resolve this through the bank, even if I have to pay a bit more commission."
"After all, debts of gratitude are hard to repay, wouldn't you agree, Manager Huang?"
As Chen Yang spoke, he stood up and opened a bag of money that Lei Baoguo was carrying.
Huang Lizhen's expression changed as she listened to his words, but she gradually began to believe him. The man's demeanor was too calm and confident.
She had only seen such bearing in some of Hong Kong's wealthy businessmen; ordinary hoodlums did not possess such an aura.
"Mr. Chen, I understand your feelings, but HSBC Bank currently does not have a policy for exchanging Renminbi for US dollars. However, if you wish to exchange for Hong Kong Dollars, I might have some options."
Huang Lizhen offered a gentler smile. Merchants are driven by profit, and so are financial professionals.
Although China was viewed as a backward country by them at the time, it was a vast nation with hundreds of millions of people, rich in resources.
Even though the policies were not fully liberalized yet, many Hong Kong businessmen secretly crossed the border into the mainland in recent years. They did have a certain demand for Renminbi.
"Exchange for Hong Kong Dollars?"
"How do you exchange Hong Kong Dollars here?"
Chen Yang glanced at Huang Lizhen, feeling that there was a hidden scheme beneath her sweet smile.
"One Renminbi for one Hong Kong Dollar."
Huang Lizhen stated it seriously, and Chen Yang immediately understood. This woman was incredibly greedy.
For many years, the exchange rate between the US Dollar and the Hong Kong Dollar had remained relatively stable, at about 7.8 Hong Kong Dollars to 1 US Dollar.
However, the Renminbi was still quite strong at the time, with about 1.5 Renminbi to 1 US Dollar. If Chen Yang were to exchange his Renminbi for Hong Kong Dollars as she suggested,
And then wanted to exchange for US Dollars, their 730,000 Renminbi, which could have originally been exchanged for nearly 500,000 US Dollars, would now yield less than 100,000 US Dollars.
"Black-hearted, truly black-hearted!"
"Manager Huang, you must think I'm ignorant of the market. The Westerners haven't officially announced the exchange rate between Hong Kong Dollars and US Dollars yet, but everyone knows that privately, one US Dollar can be exchanged for over seven Hong Kong Dollars, and even eight in some cases."
"Our Renminbi can be exchanged for one US Dollar for just 1.5, so you're being far too greedy."