Timur was still reeling from the shock of the millions of Hong Kong dollars he had just received when he was once again startled by Bai Meng'an's words.
Although Timur wasn't very good at distinguishing the exchange rates of Hong Kong dollars and euros to yuan, just the word "ten thousand" after those numbers was enough to make his legs tremble. He couldn't buy such a horse even if he sold all his cattle, sheep and horses.
"Yes, top-tier horse racing costs over a million euros. Most of the horses in Hong Kong are owned by members, so the prices are much lower than internationally. Hey, let's go to Macau this weekend; we can see the world's best horse racing there..."
Bai Meng'an is clearly a horse racing enthusiast, and his eyes lit up with excitement when he mentioned the Macau horse race.
This Macau horse race was jointly organized by three new gaming companies in Macau, with the aim of promoting the new companies and attracting horse racing fans and tourists from all over the world to increase their brand awareness.
The three companies jointly contributed a total prize pool of US$80 million, which is the highest prize money ever awarded in international horse racing.
It's worth noting that the Dubai horse race, which was previously known as the world's most expensive race, had a total prize money of only US$15.25 million. The prize money for this Macau horse race was more than five times higher, attracting almost all the world's top horses to participate.
Due to the Macau horse racing and the opening of the new casino, not only are all the hotels in Macau fully booked for the past week or so, but the hotel industry in Hong Kong has also benefited, with horse racing fans and gambling enthusiasts from all over the world crowding into both Hong Kong and Macau.
After explaining the rules to Zhuang Rui, Timur, and the others, Bai Meng'an logged into his account and said, "Brother Timur, Brother Zhuang, how about we just play for fun and buy a few bets?"
Timur waved his hands repeatedly and said, "I'll pass, it makes my head spin just looking at it. Zhuang Rui'an, you should try it..."
Horse racing betting can be simple in some ways, but complex in others. People who haven't played before usually can't tell the difference. There are single wins (betting on the horse that comes in first place), positions (betting on the horses that finish in the top three), consecutive wins (betting on the horses that finish in the top three), and triple betting, etc. Each type of betting has different prizes.
"Alright, I'll give it a try. Brother Bai, bet on number three for me in one game, the one you mentioned earlier, and number eight in the second game, number six in the third game, and number five in the fourth game and number nine in the sixth and seventh games. Let's see how my luck is..."
Zhuang Rui didn't stand on ceremony. The bets he placed totaled only a few hundred Hong Kong dollars. He was just there to join in the fun at the racecourse. This amount of money wasn't even worth mentioning to Zhuang Rui and Bai Meng'an.
"Alright, Brother Zhuang, I've heard you always win at gambling, so I'll bet some with you today..."
Bai Meng'an had witnessed Zhuang Rui gambling live and knew of Zhuang Rui's extremely prestigious reputation in the gambling world. He excitedly started operating the terminal, placing several thousand Hong Kong dollars in "heavy bets" on his own betting slip. After placing the bets, Bai Meng'an saw that Zhuang Rui had seen the betting process, scratched his head, and said with a smile, "Hehe, thanks to Brother Zhuang, I might win a few hundred thousand..."
"Brother Bai, I was just guessing randomly, so please don't blame me if I'm wrong..."
Zhuang Rui shook his head helplessly. All those numbers he had just made up were just empty words. If he could win with those numbers, then Zhuang Rui had nothing more to say.
"I know, I know, it's just a few thousand Hong Kong dollars. The first show is about to start..."
As Bai Meng'an spoke, a huge cheer suddenly erupted in the arena. Behind the racecourse where the race started, some riders were already waiting on their horses, ready to charge out of the gates after the starting gun fired.
The first event was the 800-meter short track. With the sound of a gunshot, thirteen horses simultaneously sprinted off, and cheers from the crowd were deafening, echoing throughout the entire racecourse.
Influenced by this atmosphere, Zhuang Rui also became excited, stood up, shouted loudly about the number three horse he had bought, and waved his hands continuously.
At this moment, everyone in the entire racecourse went wild. Whether they were wealthy merchants, officials, white-collar workers, or ordinary citizens, they were all immersed in this atmosphere.
"They're in the lead! They're in the lead! Number three is in the lead..."
Seeing horse number three running in the lead, Zhuang Rui couldn't help but shout loudly, but he couldn't even hear his own shouts, which could only be helplessly gathered in the huge sound waves around him.
The distance of 800 meters is less than a minute for these horses that are good at short-distance sprints, and it is also difficult for them to create a large gap. When they cross the finish line, it is extremely difficult to tell who wins and who loses by the naked eye.
"Damn, how could this happen? Come on, come on..."
Although the three horses that crossed the finish line first were very close in size, Zhuang Rui could still tell with his keen eye that the number three horse, which was originally full of energy, was overtaken by the number five horse next to it when it was close to crossing the finish line, and ended up only second place.
Soon, the slow-motion replay of the previous scene began to play on the large screens that were everywhere in the racecourse. The slow-motion footage of the moment of crossing the finish line appeared continuously on the screen.
The results of the first horse race were announced, and the once noisy racecourse was now filled with huge sighs. Zhuang Rui was clearly one of those who made these sounds.
"Brother Zhuang, this is not my fault. Horse number three was indeed the most popular choice, but I didn't expect it to lose out..."
After seeing the final result, Bai Meng'an shrugged innocently. It was indeed he who introduced horse number three in the first race to Zhuang Rui.
Zhuang Rui said nonchalantly, "It's nothing, it's just for fun, watch what happens next..."
However, at the racetrack, Zhuang Rui seemed to have lost the invincible luck he had in the casino. He didn't bet on a single one of the next six horse races.
It's worth noting that betting on the outcome of a single match isn't particularly difficult, which only shows that Zhuang Rui's luck was exceptionally bad.
Bai Meng'an hadn't expected Zhuang Rui to lose a single game. After seeing the results, he jokingly said, "Brother Zhuang, I've really lost big this time..."
"You can't blame Brother Zhuang Rui for this. It's all because those horses were too disappointing. If it were Brother Zhuang Rui's Chasing Wind, it could run seven races in a row and win them all..."
Bai Meng'an's joke made Wu Yunqiqige, who was standing to the side, feel indignant and spoke up for Zhuang Rui.
Chapter 1210 Birthday
"What 'Chasing the Wind'? Is it a horse?"
After hearing what Wu Yunqiqige said, Bai Meng'an looked at Zhuang Rui with a puzzled expression.
"Ahem, Chasing Wind is a horse, but it's not that powerful. Don't listen to the little girl's nonsense..."
Zhuang Rui coughed. The bond between him and the animals was very pure. Zhuang Rui didn't want Zhui Feng to participate in any competitions, and he didn't lack the prize money.
Back when White Lion came of age, Fatty Ma had encouraged Zhuang Rui to take White Lion to participate in dog fighting competitions. Among those Shanxi coal bosses, the win or loss of a dog fighting match often amounted to tens of millions.
Fatty Ma meant well back then, knowing that Zhuang Rui was short on cash while dealing in jadeite rough, and wanted Zhuang Rui to earn some extra money. Unfortunately, Zhuang Rui didn't appreciate it at all, and even scolded Fatty Ma, almost breaking off their friendship.
Unexpectedly, Wuyun Qiqige was equally unappreciative, saying, "Brother Zhuang Rui, I never talk nonsense. Zhuifeng is clearly stronger than these horses. You're the one talking nonsense..."
Timur thought Zhuang Rui was just being modest, so he chimed in, "Yes, Zhuang Rui, in a short sprint, Crimson Blood might not be as good as these Western horses, but your Wind Chaser will definitely be able to..."
To be honest, Timur had lived on the grasslands for over thirty years and had even participated in equestrian competitions in Outer Mongolia, but he had never actually seen a horse faster than Chase the Wind.
Now Bai Meng'an was intrigued and said with a smile, "Brother Zhuang, you're really something else! You just said you didn't know anything about horses, but now you have a fine one at home. I can't believe it, I have to go to Beijing with you to take a look..."
It's perfectly normal for wealthy people to keep horses, especially in Bai Meng'an's circle. Actually, Bai Meng'an might not have valued Zhuang Rui's "good horse" that much, but this was an opportunity to strengthen their relationship, so Bai Meng'an naturally wouldn't miss it.
"Brother Bai, Brother Zhuang Rui's horse is in Hong Kong..."
Zhuang Rui didn't want to bring this up, but Qiqige blurted it all out for him.
Bai Meng'an glanced at Zhuang Rui with displeasure and said, "Let's go back and let me see..."
"Sigh, the worst thing is having a traitor inside. Little girl, you've really put Brother Zhuang Rui in a bind..."
Zhuang Rui's words made the others laugh. He glanced at his watch and continued, "Ahem, Brother Bai, how about tomorrow? It's too late today. Tomorrow is Grandpa Xuanbing's birthday, and you're coming anyway..."
After the horse racing ended, it was almost 11 p.m. Although this might be the start of Hong Kong's nightlife, it was indeed inconvenient for people like Bai Meng'an to go to the Qin family at this time. Moreover, Zhuang Rui was the Qin family's son-in-law, and it would be impolite for him to bring guests over.
Bai Meng'an, of course, understood the intricacies of the matter. He nodded and said, "Alright, Brother Zhuang, I'll go tomorrow morning to check on the horses and see if there's anything I can do to help."
Back home, Zhuang Rui was subjected to another round of questioning from Qin Xuanbing, which he barely managed to evade. ...
In order to catch up with old friends, at Mr. Qin's insistence, his birthday banquet was held in his own villa. The villa's garden has now been transformed into a buffet restaurant, with two long tables covered with exquisite tablecloths and filled with various delicacies.
"Uncle Li, you've arrived! Please come in. My father has been talking about you all day yesterday..."
"Mr. Wang, you're late! I'll have to offer you another drink later..."
"Uncle Huo, you're not feeling well, why did you come? Please come in..."
"Brother Qin, may the old man enjoy boundless happiness and longevity..."
"Thank you, Mr. Zhao. Please come in, Xiao Jun. Take your Uncle Zhao inside..."
Qin Haoran, along with his two younger brothers and several nephews, waited at the villa's entrance around 4 PM and began bustling about.
Those of the same generation as Qin Ye were personally led by Qin Haoran to the back garden, a quiet place perfect for a group of old men to drink tea and chat.
Those who came were of the same generation as Qin Haoran. After apologizing, they were led by the younger generation to rest in the garden. Although it was Old Master Qin's 80th birthday, no one came to eat. It was actually just a banquet for Hong Kong's upper class.
Zhuang Rui is the grandson-in-law of the Qin family. As the saying goes, a married daughter is like water spilled from a cup, so Zhuang Rui is considered a guest here. There's no need for him to do any reception work. However, he's not idle right now, as he's surrounded by a group of young people.
Unlike when Zhuang Rui first came to Hong Kong and no one paid any attention to him, this time, for Old Master Qin's birthday celebration, he became the object of all the young people's attention. Among them were familiar faces like Bai Meng'an and Zheng Hua, as well as some people he had met before but had not spoken much to.
"Brother Zhuang, we heard that you were in charge of the excavation of Genghis Khan's Mausoleum. Tell us about it."
"Yes, we must talk about it. And what about that Imperial Seal of the State? Is it real or fake? My grandfather has a Tang Dynasty imperial seal in his collection, which is said to be a replica..."
"I've heard that there are several golden houses inside Genghis Khan's mausoleum. Brother Zhuang, is that true?"
What Zhuang Rui did in China recently was absolutely headline news, even in Hong Kong newspapers. These young people were indeed very curious. Zhuang Rui was about the same age as them, so how did he end up being given all sorts of expert titles?
Of course, these people had all been instructed by their elders to maintain a good relationship with the Qin family's son-in-law; otherwise, given their nature, they would have already gathered together to talk about sports cars and female celebrities.
"Ahem, everyone, it's true that I discovered Genghis Khan's mausoleum, and the process was pretty much the same as reported in the media..."
Zhuang Rui now gets a headache just thinking about Genghis Khan's mausoleum. What others are proud of is a huge problem to him. After briefly mentioning the imperial mausoleum, he continued, "As for the Imperial Seal of the State, I can guarantee it's absolutely genuine. If you have the chance, you can go to the Dingguang Museum in Beijing to see it..."
"I'll definitely go and support it. Isn't the Dingguang Museum one of Brother Zhuang's properties?"
"Yes, yes, let's go together after the Macau Jockey Club races this weekend..."
"Brother Zhuang is truly amazing. He managed to get such a national treasure into a private museum for its first exhibition..."
The various compliments made Zhuang Rui's scalp tingle. At this moment, he missed the first time he came to Hong Kong to attend that charity gala. Being ignored was a kind of happiness.
"Huh? Who's here? Grandpa actually went out to greet them?"
However, the commotion at the gate at this moment diverted the attention of those surrounding Zhuang Rui, and Zhuang Rui also saw that Old Master Qin, who was originally behind, was actually walking towards the gate with the help of Qin Xuanbing's second uncle, which made him pause for a moment.
"It's Li Ka-shing! Goodness, he actually came in person. Old Master Qin has quite the influence..."
"Ahua, your grandfather is here too. Hasn't he been feeling unwell lately?"
"That guy from the Rong Group is here too, and so is tycoon Shao. They really have a lot of influence..."
The people in front kept announcing the names of the guests, which made the younger generation stare in disbelief. Although there were many elders among them, several of them had stopped receiving guests due to health reasons.
This gathering of people, just to celebrate the birthday of Old Master Qin, a member of an upper-middle-class family in Hong Kong, seems a bit too much of a show of respect.
Some well-informed people couldn't help but glance at Zhuang Rui from time to time. They knew that the Qin family's sudden rise to such a status was inseparable from this son-in-law from outside the family.
Before Old Master Qin could even go inside after greeting everyone at the door, a motorhome suddenly pulled up in front of the villa, and two bodyguard-like men unloaded a wheelchair.
"Mr. He from Macau has arrived..."
"The gambling king is here too, Old Master Qin is truly honored..."
"Mr. He is an elder, yet he has come to wish a junior a happy birthday. The Qin family is about to rise..."
The arrival of the Macau gambling king caused another commotion at the entrance, with many young people from the third generation of wealthy families crowding the entrance to catch a glimpse of him.
Mr. He's arrival stirred up the hearts of the first-generation founders and their successors, revealing that they had underestimated the Qin family.
It should be noted that, in terms of age, reputation, or wealth, Qin's Jewelry and SJM Holdings are simply incomparable. The fact that Mr. He came can only mean that the Qin family has something worthy of his humble association.
If it were a few years ago, Mr. Qin's birthday celebration would probably have been attended by only a few second-generation Hong Kong businessmen, who are considered super-rich in the Chinese community and would never have personally visited him.
"Mr. He, how could I possibly trouble you with your presence..."
Old Master Qin was in exceptionally good spirits today. After shaking off his son's hand, he walked up to the gambling king. It would be impossible for Old Master Qin not to be excited; perhaps today was the most glorious moment of his life.
"Brother Qin, you're celebrating your birthday today. I'm just here to ask for a drink. Don't be so polite, don't be so polite..."