Chapter 51 What does "Baccarat" mean?

For a long time, when mainlanders think of Hong Kong, they think that it is a place where rich people "cluster together". Yes, at the beginning of China's reform and development, when the country just called out to develop the economy and introduce foreign capital, many people thought "Hong Kong capital" as a When the "foreign capital" is involved, they are calculating who is most likely to quickly come to the mainland to invest and set up factories. The first batch of expectations are wealthy Hong Kong businessmen. There are rich people in Hong Kong. Although these rich people are not necessarily businessmen, the life of the rich is no worse than that of foreign tycoons. They can enjoy endless houses and cars, as well as US dollars and Hong Kong paper flowers.Some people love yachts. It is not uncommon to buy one for millions or tens of millions. Not to mention that they basically have no time to go to the sea to have fun. They just find a sheltered bay for storage on weekdays. Year's wages are not earned.However, there are also poor people in Hong Kong. I only came to this concept very clearly after seeing "paimi".Although the "poor" and "rich" in Hong Kong live in separate lives, "poor and rich" here is a complex world, a fusion of ruthless realism and infinite abstract philosophy——

In Hong Kong, I have been to some places where the rich live, such as the "Mid-Levels Mansion" on Hong Kong Island and the "Kadoorie Road" in Kowloon, but the richest people at the top of the pyramid generally like "Deep Water Bay", "Repulse Bay", " "Big Wave Bay", I have been to those places so far, but I have never taken the opportunity to be invited to be a guest and enjoy a night in a "luxury house". In April 2005, online media "exposed" Hong Kong's "Top Ten Mansions" with rich pictures and texts. The number one ranked was "No. 10 Big Wave Bay Road, Hong Kong Island". No. 16 Repulse Bay Road", the market value is also more than 150 million Hong Kong dollars.The "Victoria Peak" is not only a tourist attraction in Hong Kong, but also has the "Sky Tower" and the famous "Madame Tussauds". , including the charming day or night view of the entire Victoria Harbour, you will have a panoramic view, but mainlanders may not all know that this beautiful "mountain top" area is also the hottest place for the rich to build top-level "luxury houses".

On November 1, 2005, many newspapers in Hong Kong published such a report "Scenic House on Barker Road—Neighboring to the Chief Executive". The place where consuls and dignitaries compete for wealth and status, the upcoming "Barker Road" No. 2 has a total of 11 mansions, and the height of the largest roof is exactly in the same place as Hong Kong's landmark building - "Bank of China Tower". a horizontal line. That night, when my husband came home from get off work, I said, "I read today's newspaper, and what you said is really true."The "that matter" that my husband and I were discussing was the old rumor that No. 2 Barker Road would be rented out, because the landlord of the 11 mansions was none other than the company my husband worked for, and he told me two days ago I revealed this news quietly, and the tone was so proud: "Guess how much our monthly rent is? 700 yuan per square meter! The area of ​​the 11 houses generally ranges from 400 to 470 square meters. Last month, the rent was at least 300,000, not counting the monthly management fee!"

God, ordinary people in such "high-end" houses don't even think about it, even the middle class in Hong Kong will have to suck their teeth for a while! But "is anyone willing to rent such a high rent? Can anyone afford it?"I remember being very skeptical at the time. After hearing this, the husband pouted: "Huh, are you still worried that no one will rent it? Can't afford it? Let me tell you, it has been rented out long ago, and there is no one left, 300,000! Now our company will set a new record in Hong Kong." The 'sky-high' monthly rent for a mansion!"

Before November 2005, Hong Kong’s new chief executive, Donald Tsang, had not moved to the Government House (the official residence of the chief executive, which was under renovation at the time), and he was still living in the mansion where he was the Chief Secretary for Administration at No. 15 Barker Road. The Consul General of the American Consulate lived in No. 3 on the same road. Looking back: in 1999, someone bought a two-story British mansion at No. 12 "Baker Road" and spent 120 million; in 2000, someone bought No. 22. It cost 146 million; and in 2005, the owner of the 11 mansions at No. 2 Barker Road spent more than 100 million on the basic investment only for decoration.

The rich people in Hong Kong are so rich, do they want to live in a house that catches up with the palace of the old dynasty? But, again, no matter how rich the rich people in Hong Kong are, even if they all live in the "Prince's Mansion", no matter how enviable the facilities there are for ordinary people, for me, the most meaning is to "look at the ocean and sigh" again and again; Hong Kong, since I know there are poor people in Hong Kong, what is the living condition of the poor?Where are the houses of the poor?That piece of the common people's world is more attractive to me, and it makes me want to find it even more anxiously.