Li Yi studied his father-in-law closely, then said, “Dad, did someone from higher up contact you and ask you to sound me out?”
Jiang Shiying looked at Li Yi with some surprise and said, “How did you know? I don’t think I said much about it.”
“Heh, Dad, do you even have more than a thousand yuan on you?”
“Um…”
“I don’t need you to tell me—all your money is with your mother. Is that pitiful sum you’re holding even worth investing?”
Jiang Shiying shook his head with a wry smile and said, “I’ll be honest with you. A few days ago, the higher-ups came to see me. Besides asking about your situation, they also gave me a task…”
“Foreign exchange earnings?”
“You guessed it again?”
Li Yi smiled and said, “It’s not hard to guess. What’s the biggest shortage in the country right now? It’s undoubtedly foreign exchange. And as for me, a mere small-time merchant, the only thing that would make the government come knocking on my door is foreign exchange!”
“Sigh, I really don’t know how your little brain works—nothing can be kept from you!” Jiang Shiying said.
“Don’t bother wondering about that. Just tell me straight up what the higher-ups are thinking.”
Jiang Shiying said in a low voice, “The higher-ups’ idea is that if you come across a good opportunity, you can help the country earn some foreign exchange!”
“That shouldn’t be a problem. But when it comes to investments, I’d rather discuss it with professionals. And it’s best if you don’t get involved!” Li Yi said.
Jiang Shiying nodded and said, “All right, I’ll contact our comrades over there in a moment and convey your thoughts!”
“Alright!”
Jiang Shiying then added, “You mentioned you started a company over there. Are you planning to go back in a few days?”
“I don’t think I’ll be going back anytime soon. I want to go home and spend some time with Xiaoxue and the kids!” Li Yi said.
“What do you mean by ‘in the near future’?”
“Within two or three months!”
“But if you’re gone for so long, will the company be okay?” Jiang Shiying asked.
“No problem. I’ve already laid out the development plan, and with Old Huang keeping an eye on things over there, there shouldn’t be any issues!” Li Yi said.
Hearing that Li Yi was actually willing to leave a company worth billions behind for his wife and child, Jiang Shiying felt a slight sense of relief.
It seemed he was still the Li Yi she knew—he hadn’t let becoming a billionaire go to his head!
Still, this stirred a deep sense of unease within him. His son-in-law was simply too outstanding, while his daughter, by comparison, seemed rather ordinary—and that was hardly a good thing.
Thinking of this, he couldn’t help but sigh.
“What on earth are you sighing about, old man? If something’s bothering you, just say it—I’ll help you figure it out!” Li Yi said with a smile.
Jiang Shiying shot him a glare and immediately retorted, “It’s all because of you, you rascal!”
“How is this my fault?”
“You’re already a billionaire worth tens of billions, while Xue’er still acts like a little girl who hasn’t grown up yet. The gap between you two is just too wide…”
Although Jiang Shiying didn’t finish his thought, Li Yi understood exactly what he meant.
Li Yi smiled and said, “Dad, I understand how you feel, but you can rest assured about this. Xue’er and I have been through thick and thin together—our bond isn’t as fragile as you think!”
“To abandon one’s wife and children just because one has made money—that’s certainly not the act of a man of honor. Besides, I’ve been wealthy for quite some time now!”
Jiang Shiying nodded and said, “I still trust your character, but matters of the heart aren’t always within a person’s control. If one day you really don’t care for Xue’er anymore, just tell me plainly, and I’ll come and take her back myself!”
“I’m afraid I’ll have to disappoint you—that day will never come!” Li Yi said with a smile.
“Let’s hope so!”
“By the way, Dad, have Xue’er’s college entrance exam results come out yet? Which school did she apply to? Did she get accepted?”
“Heh, you’d better go home and ask her about that yourself!”
“Now you’re being mysterious!” Li Yi said with a hint of exasperation.
“It’s not that I don’t want to tell you, but Xue’er has begged me over and over not to tell you—she wants to surprise you!”
“Hahaha, all right, then I won’t ask!”
Then Li Yi added, “Oh, Dad, I brought you a little gift!”
“Oh, what kind of gift?”
“Let me keep you in suspense for a bit—you’ll find out in a moment!” Li Yi said with a smile.
With that, Li Yi walked over to the suitcases.
Seeing this, Jiang Shiying followed him over; he was quite curious about the gifts his son-in-law had brought back from Hong Kong.
On the one hand, since it was a gift from his son-in-law, it held special significance.
On the other hand, he was curious to see what his son-in-law, given his current status, would give him.
However, when Li Yi opened the suitcase, the contents gave him quite a shock.
Inside, a box was neatly filled to the brim with cash—all 10-yuan notes. A box that size must have contained at least six or seventy thousand yuan!
“Xiao Yi, you aren’t trying to give me money, are you? I can’t accept that!” Jiang Shiying said hurriedly.
“No… it’s a coincidence, purely a coincidence. This is the capital I took to Hong Kong, and I’ve just brought it back!”
Li Yi then opened another suitcase, but since all the suitcases looked identical, the second one he opened was also filled with money.
It wasn’t until he opened the fourth suitcase that Li Yi found the gifts he’d bought for Jiang Shiying.
There were two small boxes in total!
When Jiang Shiying opened the first box, she discovered it contained a belt. The texture looked like cowhide, but since it was coated with lacquer, she wasn’t sure.
However, the pure black color and the silver buckle with its metallic sheen immediately caught Jiang Shiying’s eye.
Holding it in her hands and examining it closely, Jiang Shiying couldn’t help but ask, “This belt isn’t cheap, is it?”
“It’s not too bad—just 1,500 Hong Kong dollars!”
“500 RMB? That’s way too extravagant. Isn’t that like strapping a year and a half’s salary of an ordinary worker around my waist?”
“Hehe, you’ve got a billionaire son-in-law. It’s perfectly reasonable to have a house strapped to your waist—who would dare question you!” Li Yi said with a laugh.
“Still, I have to keep a low profile—it wouldn’t look good!”
As she spoke, Jiang Shiying picked up another box and opened it right away.
Inside lay a men’s steel-banded watch with a metallic sheen. Jiang Shiying took one look and exclaimed in surprise, “A Rolex?”
“Dad, do you know this brand?”
“I do. I’ve seen plenty of big bosses wearing them. I hear they’re incredibly expensive!”
“Well, it’s just over 10,000 Hong Kong dollars!”
“1… 10,000? Why did you buy me such an expensive watch? I can’t possibly wear something like this in public!”
“Hehe, this is actually quite understated. If I hadn’t considered your status, I would’ve bought you a gold watch!” Li Yi said with a smile.
“A gold watch? That’s way too flashy. If I actually wore that out, the authorities would invite me in for a ‘cup of tea’!”
“This watch is fine. It’s just a regular Rolex. Even if someone recognizes it, it won’t be a problem!” Li Yi said.
“Okay, I really like the gift, so I’ll take it!”
Then Jiang Shiying said again, “You stay here for a moment. I’m going to the study to make a call to the higher-ups!”
“Okay!”
A dozen minutes later, Jiang Shiying returned to the living room and said, “Tomorrow, officials from the Security Bureau and the Foreign Exchange Bureau will come to the house to see you. I won’t be there—you can talk to them directly!”
“Alright!”
After a brief pause, Jiang Shiying added, “If their demands are unreasonable, you can refuse them outright. As long as you haven’t broken the law, the Jiang family isn’t afraid of any agency—not even the Security Bureau!”
“Dad, rest assured—I know what I’m doing!”
“Hmm…”
………
PdxmbangS: I’ve been ordered to attend a meeting in Shanghai today—it was simply impossible to decline. The meeting lasts three days, plus the day of the return trip, so I’ll be gone for a total of four days. During these four days, updates will be sporadic, but I’ll do my best to ensure there are no breaks in the story. Please bear with me!