Chapter 114: Barbie Doll

Hardy drove to USC to pick up Han Yezhen. He had promised to take her to a movie when "Red Dead Redemption" was released. Despite his busy schedule, he finally found the time to honor his commitment.

He parked the car downstairs and waited. Two young women emerged from the dormitory corridor. The Oriental woman was graceful and gentle, while the blonde beauty was tall and striking. 

Passing male students couldn't help but admire the two beauties.

"Hi, Yezhen," Hardy greeted with a smile.

"Hi, Elaine. Are you joining us too?" Hardy asked as he noticed the two women together.

Irina raised an eyebrow and playfully placed her hand on her chest, "I'm so sad. You invited Yezhen to the movie, but not me?"

"Well, I didn't expect to have three people," Hardy chuckled. "Looks like our two-person movie plan has turned into a trio."

The three of them drove to the theater, had dinner together, and discussed various topics, including the auction house. They arrived at the cinema at 7 PM and requested a triple row of seats.

"Yezhen, I'm going to the bathroom. You two go ahead," Irina said before heading off.

Hardy and Han Yezhen found their seats and settled in. Shortly after, Irina returned and, with a playful look, asked to sit next to Hardy, effectively placing herself between Hardy and Yezhen.

The movie began soon after, and Irina naturally leaned into Hardy's arm. Han Yezhen observed with a faint smile, seemingly amused by the situation.

As the film played, Irina asked, "Boss, how's the box office for this movie?"

"It's been 11 days since the release. The box office has reached $4.3 million so far, and MGM estimates it could hit between $7 million and $8 million," Hardy replied.

"Wow, that's impressive. Will it be the North American box office champion this year?"

"Hopefully," Hardy said.

"How much do you stand to gain from this?" Irina inquired.

"Over $2 million."

"That's a huge profit! Is making movies always this profitable?" Irina asked with excitement.

"Not exactly. Out of ten movies, seven may be losses, two might break even, and only one will be profitable," Hardy explained.

Irina's eyes widened. "Boss, with all that money you're making, could you increase the budget for the auction house? It would help us avoid always having to cut corners when buying antiques."

Hardy smiled. "The money won't be available for a while, but I'll make sure to give you an extra $100,000 next month."

"Thank you, Boss," Irina said softly, her arm still resting comfortably on Hardy's.

Though Hardy often claimed to be short on cash, he was capable of providing such amounts. Cash flow was managed through various means, including movies, casinos, and antiques.

The film was thrilling, and Irina, who had initially been a bit restless, became captivated by the movie. The melodious whistle of the opening scene and Ava Gardner's performance in "Scarborough Fair" were highlights.

After the movie, Han Yezhen asked, "Is Miss Ava Gardner one of your contract artists?"

"Yes," Hardy confirmed.

"Her song was wonderful. Could you get an autograph for me?" Yezhen requested.

"Of course. We're currently working on an album for her. I'll make sure she signs a copy for you," Hardy promised.

Irina also leaned in, "I'd like a copy too."

"No problem," Hardy said.

---

A couple of days later, Andy brought good news: the toy factory had been acquired. 

The factory, which had been struggling, was purchased for $68,000. The acquisition was straightforward since the boss held most of the shares, and the minority shareholders agreed to sell.

At the Los Angeles Stock Exchange Center, in a senior client room overlooking the trading floor, Hardy met with Andy. Several experienced traders were busy at their desks, handling multiple phones and trading books.

"How's it going?" Hardy asked.

"I'm in the process of washing the market—buying and selling to clear out floating shares and unsettled investors. We aim to acquire more than 50% of the outstanding shares for better control," Andy explained.

Hardy had a question, "What if other traders try to interfere?"

Andy smiled, "In such cases, it's best to avoid confrontation. If two traders target the same stock, negotiating a joint operation is more effective. Competing traders will either bid the price up or collaborate, leaving retail investors as the ones who get trapped."

"So retail investors are essentially the primary targets?" Hardy summarized.

"Yes. Brokers, financial companies, stock firms, institutions, and funds all target retail investors," Andy confirmed. "Institutional confrontations often arise from different strategic reasons, but the retail investors remain the primary prey."

Andy spent the next three days acquiring 75.5% of the toy factory's outstanding shares at $0.22 each. With the majority of shares secured, they were ready for the next step.

Hardy and Andy visited the toy factory with the new management team. The factory, previously abandoned by its workers due to financial issues, now had only two technicians remaining.

Hardy presented several pictures to the workers, showing new doll designs: 

"Princess Ava": A 24 cm tall doll with a slender figure and sky-blue eyes.

"Princess Taylor": A 21 cm tall doll with violet eyes.

"Chinese Princess": A 23 cm tall doll with black jewel-colored eyes.

"Can these dolls be produced?" Hardy inquired.

The technician inspected the drawings. "It's feasible, though it will be more complex than the previous toys. The hair, eyes, and clothing will increase the cost, but the result will be a premium product."

"That's what we want—luxury dolls. We'll price them at $15.80 per set and offer a range of clothes and accessories," Hardy stated.

He instructed the team to register all relevant copyrights for the dolls and to set up production, including acquiring machinery and recruiting workers.

"Andy, it's time to announce the news," Hardy concluded.