After seeing Li Futiao and Assistant Zhou off, Li Yi opened the gift box Li Futiao had brought.
The moment he opened the box, his eyes were met with a dazzling display of jewels. Inside the exquisite box lay a complete set of jade jewelry.
Upon closer inspection, the set included two bracelets, a saddle ring, a pair of earrings, two bracelets, and a hairpin—all pieces featuring a rich, deep green hue.
Although Li Yi wasn’t particularly knowledgeable about jadeite, he knew that jadeite of this caliber didn’t come cheap.
Especially those two full-green bracelets—in thirty or forty years, their guaranteed value would easily exceed 100 million.
Even as things stood, this set was worth at least two or three million Hong Kong dollars—and he wasn’t even sure he could afford it!
It was clear that Li Futao had really put thought into this; he knew that Li Yi would never accept anything ordinary.
But if he were presented with such exquisite jewelry, he might not refuse.
Looking at the jade jewelry before him, Li Yi couldn’t help but think of Jiang Xue and their two children back in Beijing.
With matters on Hong Kong Island now largely settled, it was time to head back.
With that in mind, he immediately picked up the phone on the desk and dialed Huang Lixing at the Wan Chai Pier.
“Ring ring…”
The call was answered quickly, and Huang Lixing’s voice came through the receiver: “Qinglong Society, who is this?”
“Old Huang, it’s me, Li Yi!”
“Hahaha, so it’s Brother Li Yi. Did Mr. Li come looking for you?”
“Yeah, he just left!” Li Yi said.
“Li Sheng called me this morning. He said he wanted to send you a gift but wasn’t sure what to send, so he asked me for advice!”
Huang Lixing continued, “Knowing you, you probably wouldn’t be interested in anything else, so I suggested he get something for your wife and kids—maybe you’d accept that!”
“Hehe, he sent me a set of jade jewelry. It’s nice—I accepted it!”
“Hahaha, I knew it!”
“Old Huang, if you have time, come by the office. I’ve got something I need to discuss with you—it’s not really convenient over the phone,” Li Yi said.
“Sure, I’ll head over right now!”
“Great!”
With that, Li Yi hung up the phone!
An hour later, accompanied by a series of heavy footsteps, a sweat-drenched Huang Lixing pushed open the door and walked in.
When Li Yi saw it was him, he immediately put down his pen and said with a smile, “You made it!”
“It’s really hot out there. I’m soaked through after just a few steps—it’s unbearable!” Huang Lixing said, wiping the sweat from his forehead.
“That’s normal!”
Once Huang Lixing had sat down, Li Yi continued, “Old Huang, I called you over to talk about the company.”
“What’s up with the company?” Huang Lixing asked, puzzled.
“Nothing’s wrong with the company—it’s just that I’m planning to go back…”
Before he could finish, Huang Lixing said, “I figured you’d be heading back soon. When are you leaving?”
“In the next day or two. If possible, I’d like to head back tomorrow!” Li Yi said.
“That soon? What about the company’s affairs? Can Miss Lan and the others handle everything on their own after you leave?”
Li Yi replied immediately, “I’ve already finalized the company’s investment plan. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, our net worth will double or even triple very soon!”
Hearing this, Huang Lixing’s eyes lit up, and he burst out laughing. “Bro, your investment skills are faster than robbing a bank!”
Li Yi smiled and said, “After I leave, the company will be counting on you!”
“Rely on me… I can’t handle this kind of thing!”
“You don’t need to micromanage. Just have Lan Xinyi and Li Yunbao handle the day-to-day operations. If there’s anything they can’t decide on their own, that’s when you step in!”
“What if I can’t make the call either?”
“Then you’ll have to cross the Pearl River and give me a call!” Li Yi said.
“Alright!”
“As for your Qinglong Society, I reckon no one—whether inside or outside the organization—dares to give you trouble anymore. But you still need to keep a low profile, just like before!”
Li Yi then added, “In a while, I’ll see if I can bring a group of skilled operatives over from the mainland. By then, you’ll be able to break away from the Green Dragon Society and go it alone!”
“If anyone gives you trouble during this time and you can’t handle it, just ask Old Li for help. With him around, I doubt anyone in Hong Kong would dare touch you!”
“Alright, I’ll take your advice!”
“Oh, and Old Huang, when we split the profits last time, didn’t I set aside six million Hong Kong dollars just for you? Could you exchange that for mainland currency for me? I need to take it back with me!” Li Yi said.
“Sure, I’ll have it ready for you this afternoon!” Huang Lixing replied.
“Alright then. I’ll call a quick meeting with all the department heads to wrap things up here, and then I’ll head home!” Li Yi said with a smile.
“Alright…”
………
By the time the meeting ended, it was already noon!
In high spirits, Li Yi waved his hand and immediately instructed the department heads to announce that he would be treating all employees to lunch.
As soon as word spread that the big boss was treating everyone to a meal, the office erupted in a deafening cheer.
Shortly after, the sixty-plus employees of Star Company set off in a large group for Yuen’s Restaurant, a famous Chinese restaurant on Hong Kong Island.
Since this was the company’s first group dinner since its founding, Li Yi didn’t hold back.
Not only was the venue luxurious, but the dining standards were also exceptionally high.
Apart from the absence of alcohol—out of concern it might affect the afternoon’s work—everything else exceeded all the employees’ expectations.
So, everyone had a truly wonderful time at the meal!
That afternoon, Li Yi didn’t go to the office, nor did he return to Cloudtop No. 1.
Instead, accompanied by Tie Ying and others, he headed to the busiest shopping mall on Hong Kong Island.
Since he had finally made the trip to Hong Kong Island, he had to bring back some gifts for his family—otherwise, it just wouldn’t feel right.
And so, Li Yi went on a shopping spree in Hong Kong Island!
They shopped until past 6:00 p.m. When Li Yi emerged from the mall, Tie Ying and the others were laden with bags of all sizes, looking like walking warehouses.
Li Yi hadn’t bought any clothes or shoes—not because he looked down on the local fashion, but because compared to Hong Kong, the mainland’s social norms were still too closed-minded and conservative.
Clothes that showed bare arms and legs here—no one would dare wear them on the streets back home.
So, aside from buying a few undergarments for his wife, Li Yi didn’t buy any other clothes.
He bought mostly electronics—radios, tape recorders, digital watches, and cameras. In his eyes, these weren’t particularly special items, but as gifts, they were absolutely the best.
Especially digital watches—on Hong Kong Island, they cost only about ten or twenty Hong Kong dollars each.
But if brought back to the mainland, the price would skyrocket by at least ten times—and they’d be in such high demand that they’d be priceless.
In addition, Li Yi bought several cameras—the domestic film-based kind.
These were also scarce items, virtually impossible to find domestically.
Even if they were available, the prices were outrageously high.
Actually, what Li Yi really wanted to buy was a color TV, but unfortunately, it was just too bulky, and he simply couldn’t manage it.
Even now, he had only bought a few small items, but once everything was packed up, it still filled three large suitcases.
On top of that, he had to carry two million in cash back with him, which was simply beyond his capabilities.
With no other choice, Li Yi had no option but to call Huang Lixing and ask for his help!
Huang Lixing didn’t let Li Yi down; he immediately decided to personally lead a team to escort Li Yi back to Guangzhou, and he’d take the opportunity to visit his wife and daughter as well!
After the two agreed on a departure time, Li Yi went to bed early…
……..