Chapter 872: Jiang Xue’s Investment Debut (Part 1)

Wall Street. The NASDAQ Stock Exchange!

As soon as she stepped into the exchange, Jiang Xue was stunned by the bustling scene before her.

Although she had previously accompanied Li Yi to several stock exchanges in Hong Kong, compared to this one, those Hong Kong exchanges were no match—neither in scale nor in the sophistication of their equipment.

More importantly, the number of people trading stocks here far exceeded that of the exchanges in Hong Kong.

Stunned, Jiang Xue looked at Li Yi and asked, “Are all these people here to make money in the stock market?”

“Hehe, they’ve all come here with the intention of making money, but whether they actually succeed depends on their individual abilities and luck!” Li Yi said with a smile.

Pang Feiyan chimed in from the side, “Making money in the stock market isn’t easy. Many people enter the market full of confidence, only to end up losing everything!”

“Is it really that bad?”

“It gets even worse. Take those who invest in futures, for example. They might be billionaires one day and bankrupt the next—sometimes even saddled with massive debts. Many can’t handle the fall from grace and end up taking their own lives!”

Pang Feiyan continued, “During last year’s stock market crash, people were jumping off buildings every day. The exchange was forced to bar access to the top floor!”

Hearing this, Jiang Xue’s face paled, and her gaze toward Li Yi was filled with concern!

Li Yi knew what she was worried about. He smiled immediately and said, “Don’t worry, I know my limits!”

Pang Feiyan and Liang He, standing behind her, couldn’t help but twitch their lips. They knew Li Yi’s investment style all too well—once he spotted an opportunity, he’d go all in.

You call that a “measured” approach to investing?

That’s just to placate an investment novice like Jiang Xue—anyone who’s heard of Li Yi as a stock trader wouldn’t believe it.

But clearly, Jiang Xue believed him. Over the past few years, Li Yi had always presented himself to his young wife as someone who never took a shot in the dark.

So when Li Yi said this, Jiang Xue didn’t doubt him; instead, she asked curiously, “Is this where you made all that money last year?”

Clearly, Jiang Xue didn’t understand the investment market; she couldn’t even tell the difference between the stock market and the futures market.

“No, I mainly invested in the futures market last year. But before I left, I also invested in some companies on this exchange—I just don’t know if I made any money yet!” Li Yi said.

“We’ll just have to check to see if we made any money!” Jiang Xue said.

Li Yi nodded, then asked Navine to reserve a VIP lounge while he took Jiang Xue to check the current stock prices of various companies.

But when Li Yi saw Apple’s quote, he couldn’t help but feel a bit awkward.

“What’s wrong?”

“I lost money on the first stock!” Li Yi said with a hint of resignation.

“How much?”

“I bought them at an average price of $25 per share, and now they’re only $21 per share—a loss of $4 per share!” Li Yi said.

“So how many shares did you buy?”

“Over 800,000 shares!”

“So that’s a loss of 3.2 million?” Jiang Xue said, sounding a bit surprised.

“Yeah.”

Although he knew Apple was facing a very serious crisis over the past two years and the likelihood of a sharp rise wasn’t high, Li Yi hadn’t expected such a steep plunge—this is Apple, after all.

But considering Apple’s current situation, this price drop was actually quite reasonable.

Meanwhile, Jiang Xue was mentally calculating the value of that $3.2 million. When she realized that $3.2 million equaled 6.4 million RMB, she couldn’t help but gasp in astonishment.

“Losing this much… could it be…”

Li Yi smiled and said, “It’s fine. This stock is meant for long-term holding; short-term gains or losses don’t make much of a difference!”

“Oh!”

Jiang Xue didn’t know much about investing, but she trusted that Li Yi wouldn’t lie to her.

Li Yi then checked Intel and AMD; these two stocks were performing quite well.

Intel had risen by $6 per share, while AMD had gone up by $8. These two stocks alone had earned Li Yi nearly $13 million.

However, the performance of the remaining stocks was rather mediocre; there were no “miracle stocks” that had multiplied in value several times over.

After reviewing the prices of all the stocks he had purchased last year, Li Yi felt a bit helpless.

Just before returning home last year, he had gone on a spending spree on the Nasdaq, investing $380 million in 17 stocks all at once.

This caused a sensation across the United States at the time; people believed that media pressure had intimidated this man from the East, forcing him to back down in this manner.

Little did they know, however, that Li Yi hadn’t done this out of fear that the U.S. government wouldn’t let him leave; he simply found the prices of tech stocks on the Nasdaq too tempting at the time.

Just think about it: Apple stock at over $20, Intel and AMD at over $30—they were practically a steal!

Little did he know that when he returned here more than half a year later, he would find that six of the 17 stocks he had invested in were in the red, resulting in a total loss of $12.8 million.

The remaining 11 had risen, though not by much, and together they earned Li Yi $29.7 million.

After settling the accounts, the 380 million invested over the past year and a half yielded a profit of only 16.9 million.

This return on investment is truly shocking. Not only does it pale in comparison to Li Yi’s track record in London and Hong Kong, but it doesn’t even hold a candle to the interest earned on a regular savings account.

Just as Li Yi was deep in thought, Navine walked over in her high heels and said to him, “Mr. Li, the VIP lounge has been reserved. You can go there anytime!”

“Lead the way!”

“Yes…”

The group then followed Li Yi to the VIP lounge on the north side of the lobby.

Upon entering, Li Yi mentioned the names of several companies and asked Navine and Pang Feiyan to inquire about and compile information on their stock performance.

Meanwhile, he remained in the VIP lounge to personally teach Jiang Xue the basics of stock trading and the key considerations to keep in mind.

Li Yi’s main purpose for coming here was to trade the exchange rate between the British pound and the US dollar.

As for the stock market, he wasn’t really interested; he was just tagging along with his wife for fun.

Jiang Xue, on the other hand, was quite interested in the stock market. She wanted to dominate the investment world just like her husband, so she studied with great earnestness.

When Pang Feiyan and Naveen returned to the VIP lounge, Li Yi was sharing his investment insights with Jiang Xue: “The primary objective of stock market investing isn’t to make money, but to avoid and mitigate risks. Before investing, you must first consider the risks—ensure you don’t lose money, and only then think about making a profit!”

“Next, when trading stocks, you must follow the trend of stock prices—that is, buying on the rise and selling on the dip. This is the only way to survive in the market. At the same time, you must track the movement of stock prices; don’t delude yourself into thinking you’re smarter than the market…”

Both Pang Feiyan and Naveen were well aware of Li Yi’s track record and knew he was a true investment master. To be able to listen to such a person share his investment insights up close was a rare opportunity for both of them.

So, the two stood by Li Yi and Jiang Xue’s side, listening intently for a good ten minutes or so. It wasn’t until Li Yi noticed them and stopped that they reluctantly began to report their situation to him.

After listening to their report, Li Yi turned to Jiang Xue and said, “They say that knowledge gained from books is always superficial; to truly understand something, you must put it into practice. Since you already know what stock trading is, let’s move on to some hands-on practice!”

“P-practical trading right now? Can I really do this? What if I lose money?” Jiang Xue asked, sounding a bit unsure.

“It’ll be fine!”

Li Yi then whispered a few words in Jiang Xue’s ear, instantly causing a flush to rise on her cheeks. The look she gave him was a mix of playful reproach and a touch of unique allure.

This display of affection caught the single guys—Pang Feiyan, Liang He, and the rest—off guard, and they all instinctively turned their faces away, refusing to watch the couple.

After teasing his wife a bit, Li Yi continued, “Intel, AMD, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Gillette, Procter & Gamble… The stocks of these dozen or so companies are performing well on the market and are likely to rise. Take a look and pick one you’d like to invest in!”

Jiang Xue glanced at Li Yi, then asked nervously, “Does that mean once I pick one, I have to put my money into it?”

“Exactly! And from now on, I won’t give you any hints. Whether you make a profit or a loss depends entirely on your own performance!” Li Yi said.

This really flustered Jiang Xue. Although she could tell her husband probably didn’t care about those few million dollars, she was genuinely afraid of wasting that money.

Meanwhile, Pang Feiyan, Naveen, Liang He, and the others standing nearby were equally baffled. They could all tell Jiang Xue was a complete novice when it came to investing. For Li Yi to have her jump straight into the thick of it—he must really have more money than he knew what to do with!

Just as everyone was lost in their own thoughts, Li Yi glanced at his watch and said, “Feiyan, Navini, the two of you are responsible for accompanying my wife throughout this process. However, you’re only allowed to provide her with information—you must not offer any investment advice. Can you handle that?”

“Yes!”

Li Yi nodded and turned back to Jiang Xue. “Xiao Xue, it’s 9:40 a.m. right now. I’m giving you one hour to select and analyze stocks. In one hour, you must pick the stocks you’re confident in!”

With that, he led Li Yunbao and the others out of the VIP lounge…

PS: Ever since I caught a cold after returning from a business trip to Guangdong last month, I haven’t fully recovered and have been feeling terrible.

On top of that, the local Writers’ Association has been preparing a major event these past few days—a symposium inviting renowned writers from China, Mongolia, and Russia. Lao Cang is scheduled to speak at the event, so I’ve been busy writing speeches and rehearsing, which has delayed updates.

Once this event wraps up in a day or two, updates will resume!

………

The next morning!

When Li Yi woke up from the soft, plush bed, he instinctively glanced at Jiang Xue in his arms.

Feeling his young wife’s steady, even breathing and seeing her rosy complexion, Li Yi breathed a slight sigh of relief.

When they had just gotten off the plane yesterday, the girl hadn’t been feeling well at all—so much so that she hadn’t even eaten lunch.

Last night, Reggie Green had hosted a welcome banquet for them, but Jiang Xue hadn’t attended because she wasn’t feeling well.

Because of this, Green Reggie had even specially arranged for his personal physician to see her.

After the doctor examined her, it was confirmed that Jiang Xue’s discomfort was merely due to motion sickness and physiological issues; there was nothing serious. The doctor didn’t even prescribe any medication, simply advising her to get plenty of rest.

It seemed that after a half-day and a night of rest, she was feeling much better.

Gently pulling his arm from under Jiang Xue’s neck, Li Yi was about to get dressed when he saw that she had kicked off the thin blanket, exposing a large expanse of her smooth, fair skin.

Especially since she wasn’t wearing anything under her nightgown—through the neckline, Li Yi caught a glimpse of an unexpected view…

Who could handle such a test first thing in the morning!

Li Yi immediately stopped getting dressed and reached out with one hand toward Jiang Xue’s chest.

Just then, Jiang Xue’s half-closed eyes suddenly opened. After a moment of dazed confusion, her gaze fixed on Li Yi’s hand.

“You…”

“Well, I just wanted to feel if your conscience has been missing me!”

“My conscience?”

Jiang Xue was taken aback at first, but then she understood what Li Yi meant. Her face flushed slightly as she said, “Since when did you become such a hooligan?”

Li Yi chuckled, his large hand reaching straight for its target, and as Jiang Xue gasped, he used the momentum to push her down onto the bed.

Then, biting his young wife’s earlobe, Li Yi said, “Haven’t you heard? In a beautiful romance, someone always has to be the first to act like a rascal!”

Hearing this, Jiang Xue couldn’t help but think back to that night two years ago—it seemed she was the one who’d been the first to act like a rascal.

Instantly, her face flushed even redder, and she pounded Li Yi’s arm with her little fists, saying, “Saying things like that first thing in the morning—are you trying to get yourself killed?”

Seeing the girl’s half-reluctant, half-inviting expression, the fire in Li Yi’s heart was instantly ignited.

But just as he was about to take things further, Jiang Xue whispered something in his ear, and Li Yi instantly wilted like an eggplant hit by frost!

There was nothing he could do about it; he certainly didn’t want to be a warrior fighting a bloody battle!

After spending nearly half an hour cuddling in bed, the couple finally finished their morning routine before eight o’clock and headed downstairs.

Pang Feiyan, Zhang Feng, Zhang Ziqiang, Liang He, and the others were already waiting for them downstairs. In addition, there were two white people—a man and a woman—in the living room.

As soon as they came downstairs, Zhang Ziqiang stepped forward and said, “Brother Yi, these two were sent by Mr. Green to assist us!”

No sooner had he finished speaking than the two approached Li Yi and said, “Mr. Li, my name is Navine, and I’m the company’s administrative director. The gentleman next to me is Punks, the head of security. From now on, our two teams will be at your service, providing close protection for you and your wife!”

Li Yi asked with interest, “How many people are in your two teams?”

Navine replied immediately, “Our team consists of eight people, including two administrative staff, one finance specialist, three investment advisors, one legal advisor, and one translator!”

Punks followed up, “Our security team also has eight members, all of whom are rigorously trained veterans, and every one of us holds a valid firearms license.”

Li Yi nodded and said, “It’s a pleasure to meet you both. I look forward to your continued support in the future!”

“It’s our pleasure…”

After a brief introduction, the two teams officially joined Li Yi’s larger team.

After breakfast, at Jiang Xue’s request—she hadn’t forgotten the purpose of this trip—

After leaving Green Manor, the group drove straight to Wall Street!

……..

New York. Wall Street!

Upon arriving on Wall Street, Jiang Xue was also awestruck by the world’s largest financial center.

Skyscrapers stood everywhere, each exuding an air of sophistication and prestige—a level of grandeur even our capital city couldn’t match.

More importantly, the people passing by—the men in sharp suits and the women dressed just as elegantly—were all members of the social elite.

While feeling envious, a hint of worry also crept into Jiang Xue’s heart!

Seeing this, Li Yi immediately asked, “What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”

“No, I’m just feeling a little down.”

“Disheartened?”

“Yeah. This isn’t even the capital of Zaiying, but the urban development here is already so much better than our own capital. We’re always talking about catching up to and surpassing the UK and the US, but this gap really makes one feel a bit hopeless!!” Jiang Xue said in a low voice.

Li Yi smiled and said, “I thought something was wrong. If it’s just because you feel the gap is too wide, then there’s no need to worry. You have to believe that we are a nation capable of creating miracles.”

“Do you mean we can catch up to them?” Jiang Xue asked.

“No, we will eventually surpass them!” Li Yi said with absolute certainty.

Naveen, who was accompanying them, heard this and immediately frowned. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but in the end, she said nothing.

Although she didn’t entirely agree with his viewpoint, considering his status as a major shareholder of the company, she wisely chose to remain silent.

However, Li Yi had noticed her expression. He said calmly, “Miss Navine, it seems you have some objections to what I said?”

Navin hurriedly replied, “No… no, I just think that given the current situation, your country won’t be able to catch up with most Western nations in the short term, let alone surpass them!”

Li Yi glanced at her and said confidently, “I don’t deny that the gap between us is indeed significant right now, but a gap doesn’t mean we can’t overcome it. Give us ten years, and we can surpass the vast majority of Western countries; give us thirty years, and we can even surpass South Korea.”

His confidence surprised everyone, including Navine, and they were all curious where it came from.

But before she could ask or object, Li Yi took Jiang Xue’s hand and walked into the Nasdaq Stock Exchange.

Li Yi’s confidence stemmed from his knowledge of history. Although we started catching up a bit late, our pace is by no means slow.

If we look at GDP based on purchasing power parity, we’ve already surpassed some Western countries—take Canada, for example, that “lame giant.”

According to later data, China’s GDP at purchasing power parity this year stands at 846.956 billion international dollars, surpassing Canada’s 794.604 billion international dollars.

Nine years later, in 1991, we surpassed the United Kingdom; in 1992, we surpassed France; and in 1993, we surpassed Italy…

But it is only 1982 now, and in the eyes of the vast majority of Westerners, the East is still a sleeping lion—they don’t take us seriously at all.

Under these circumstances, Li Yi had no desire to argue with them; not only would it be a waste of time and effort, but it would also lead nowhere.

He knew that the only thing he could do now was to flex his muscles in the financial sector and let these arrogant Westerners see what true Eastern power looked like.

With this thought, Li Yi’s stride instantly grew firm, and his entire demeanor shifted, as if he were a sharp sword drawn from its sheath…

………

New York International Airport!

As a Boeing aircraft touched down gently on the runway, Li Yi finally breathed a sigh of relief. He glanced at Jiang Xue, who stood beside him with a pale face, his eyes filled with concern.

It was her first time on such a long flight, and with her relatives visiting, she had endured quite a bit of hardship during the journey.

Once the plane had come to a complete stop and the cabin door opened, Li Yi helped Jiang Xue, whose legs were trembling, to her feet and slowly walked down the stairs.

As soon as they set foot on the ground, Li Yi said, “Don’t get on the shuttle bus just yet. Let’s stand outside and catch our breath!”

Jiang Xue did as Li Yi said and stood by the shuttle bus to catch her breath.

Sure enough, after basking in the sun for a few minutes, Jiang Xue felt her body regain some strength.

Although her body still felt a bit weak and achy, her head wasn’t as dizzy as before.

“How are you feeling now? Do you want to rest a little longer?”

“No, let’s just get going. I want to find a place to sleep as soon as possible!” Jiang Xue said.

Knowing his wife hadn’t adjusted to the time difference yet, Li Yi immediately helped her onto the shuttle bus.

After going through a series of immigration procedures, the group finally made their way out of the airport.

As soon as they reached the exit, Li Yi spotted Reggie Green waving at him from a distance.

Seeing this, Li Yi immediately waved back.

Once they met up, Green Reggie immediately gave Li Yi a big hug and said happily, “Li, you finally remembered to stop by the company!”

Li Yi smiled and said, “I’ve just been so busy lately, but now I finally have some time!”

“Hahaha, I’ve heard all about what you did in London—I have to say, you pulled it off brilliantly!”

At that moment, Reggie Green also noticed Jiang Xue standing beside Li Yi and asked right away, “Li, is this lady your wife?”

Before leaving, Li Yi had sent a telegram to Green Reggie, informing him that he would be coming to New York with his wife and asking him to arrange accommodations for them while also raising as much capital as possible.

So Green Reggie knew that one of the three women with Li Yi must be his wife. Judging by their current circumstances, Jiang Xue clearly fit the bill best.

“Yes, my wife, Jiang Xue!”

Green Reggie immediately extended his hand and said, “Beautiful lady, welcome to New York!”

Although Jiang Xue wasn’t feeling well and was a bit nervous, after hearing Li Yunbao’s translation, she extended her hand with poise and said, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Green. My husband speaks of you often!”

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Li Yi explained to Green Reggie that Jiang Xue wasn’t feeling well. Green Reggie also noticed that Jiang Xue didn’t look quite right, so he promptly led the group out to the parking lot.

Then, escorted by Green Reggie’s bodyguards, the group left the airport!

The car drove along the suburban highway for over half an hour before entering downtown New York.

It was Jiang Xue, Zhang Feng, Pang Feiyan, and the others’ first time here, and they were instantly stunned by the dense forest of skyscrapers before them.

Although Hong Kong is also an international metropolis, its urban development pales in comparison to New York’s. After all, Hong Kong is small and densely populated, with too many slums like Kowloon Walled City.

New York, however, was different. As far as the eye could see, the cityscape was filled with skyscrapers, a sight that was truly awe-inspiring.

The motorcade didn’t stop in the city center; it quickly passed through downtown and arrived at Manhattan Island, New York’s most renowned affluent district.

Much like Victoria Peak on Hong Kong Island, Manhattan Island is a hub for New York’s wealthy elite.

This small island, spanning less than sixty square kilometers, is not only home to New York City’s Central Business District and the world’s highest concentration of skyscrapers, but also houses the headquarters of the vast majority of Fortune 500 companies and serves as the site of the United Nations Headquarters.

Consequently, some refer to it as the economic and cultural center of the entire United States.

The motorcade soon arrived at Green Reggie’s estate in the northern part of the island. After seeing the exhausted Jiang Xue to her room to rest, Li Yi accompanied Green Reggie to the study and reception room on the second floor.

“Li, would you like tea or coffee?”

“Just pour me a glass of water. I’m afraid tea or coffee will keep me awake later!” Li Yi said with a smile.

“You’re right—coffee can really keep you up!”

With that, Green Reggie brewed a cup of tea for Li Yi, then made himself a cup of coffee.

After finishing these tasks, Green Reggie sat down in the chair next to Li Yi.

“Green, how’s the company doing?”

Green Reggie replied immediately with a smile, “Excellent, Li. You really are an investment genius. Following the development plan you left me, our company’s investment profit margin reached 150% in the first half of this year—surpassing the legendary William and even Warren Buffett. We’re the best-performing investment firm on Wall Street this year!”

“Currently, the company manages $12 billion in funds, and our stock price has tripled in just six months. Our market capitalization has now reached $11.5 billion. If this trend continues, we might all become billionaires!”

Li Yi smiled faintly and said, “Green, don’t get so excited—I’m already a billionaire!”

Green Reggie: @#￥%……

“All right, enough joking around. The company is doing very well, and I’m very satisfied!”

Li Yi then changed the subject and continued, “Now I’d like to discuss some investment matters with you!”

Hearing this, Green Reggie immediately replied with some excitement, “Li, I’ve already sold off nearly all the shares I held as you instructed. We’ve recovered 8 billion US dollars so far—I’m not sure if that’s enough…”

“Let’s not rush into discussing the funds just yet. What I want to talk to you about are the investment rules—or rather, the conditions!” Li Yi said.

“What conditions?”

Li Yi replied immediately, “I can guarantee a profit margin of over 50% on this investment, but I need half of the returns!”

Green Reggie was taken aback for a moment, then exclaimed excitedly, “Li, can you really guarantee a profit margin of 50%?”

“That’s just a conservative estimate; the actual return could be even higher!” Li Yi said.

“If you can truly guarantee a return on investment of over 50%, it’s perfectly reasonable for you to take half the profits!” said Green Reggie.

“Furthermore, during the investment period, all personnel and funds must follow my commands—no one is to disobey my orders!” Li Yi added.

“Well…”

Green Reggie hesitated slightly. After all, this was a massive sum of over 8 billion yuan; if anything went wrong, the company could go bankrupt.

But considering Li Yi’s uncanny investment prowess, Green Reggie hesitated briefly before immediately saying, “Alright, I agree!”

“Alright then, immediately secure a loan from the bank in the company’s name!” Li Yi said.

“How much do you need?”

“Borrow as much as you can—there’s no upper limit!” Li Yi said.

“Alright!”

Green then asked again, “Li, could you tell me about this investment plan? Don’t get me wrong, I’m just…”

Before he could finish, Li Yi cut him off: “I’ll tell you the plan before we take action, but not now. Right now, your job is to raise the funds as quickly as possible.”

“Alright!”

“Also, set up a stock trading account for me, arrange for a few bodyguards and two cars—I’m planning to take a spin in the stock market!” Li Yi said.

He hadn’t forgotten his promise to help his wife earn some pocket money!

“No problem, I’ll take care of it right away!”

“Alright…”

……..

With the Sassoon and Henry families backing down, this business war officially came to a close.

Whether in terms of business profits or the battles beyond the business realm, Li Yi had reaped a bountiful harvest, while the Sassoon family suffered unprecedented losses.

However, despite his resounding victory, Li Yi did not press his advantage nor seek to destroy the defeated Dolsen completely. Instead, he shifted his focus to attracting investment to Pengcheng.

Li Yi was well aware of Jiang Longyin’s current predicament. At this moment, Jiang stood before a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, as if he were the chosen one. If he could find the right approach, he could soar to new heights.

He had to help him with this!

Therefore, after signing the contract with Dolsen and his team, Li Yi, escorted by Yan Guangming and others, personally made a trip from Zhongying Street to Pengcheng.

After discussing the matter with his second older brother, Jiang Longyin, and his business partner, Li Yi returned to Hong Kong with the “imperial decree.”

Immediately upon his return, Li Yi convened a meeting with the members of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce.

The details of the meeting were not made public, but on July 18, immediately after the meeting concluded, the Chinese Chamber of Commerce issued a public announcement stating that they had received an invitation from the Pengcheng municipal government across the strait for an investment inspection tour. After thorough deliberation by all members of the chamber, it was decided to accept the Pengcheng municipal government’s invitation.

Subsequently, under the leadership of Vice President Bao Chuanwang, a delegation of over 200 people was quickly formed and officially departed for Pengcheng to conduct the investment inspection.

Neither Li Yi nor Li Futiao accompanied the delegation, but they remained deeply involved in the matter, as this investment mission was a joint initiative they had facilitated.

The delegation spent three days in Pengcheng. After three days of discussions and negotiations, a total of 17 companies and enterprises signed investment agreements with the Pengcheng municipal government before the delegation returned to Hong Kong Island.

Although the combined investment of these 17 companies amounted to less than $100 million, this was a crucial development for Pengcheng.

This signified that Pengcheng had finally taken a significant step toward opening up to the outside world and had begun to establish its reform spirit of “daring to be the first in the world.”

They say the hardest part is getting started; once the first step is taken, the rest becomes much easier!

And during the few days the delegation spent in Pengcheng, quite a few major events unfolded on Hong Kong Island as well!

First, a British-owned conglomerate issued a public statement announcing that, given the mutual benefit of peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation, both parties had jointly decided—following negotiations—to extend the previously signed non-aggression pact.

Shortly thereafter, the Chinese Chamber of Commerce responded to the matter, acknowledging the extension of the agreement.

As soon as this news was announced, it quickly sparked heated discussion among the people of Hong Kong and even caused a minor tremor in the stock market, with Hong Kong stocks rebounding across the board that day.

Although the rebound was not significant, it still gave investors a major boost of confidence.

Meanwhile, the Hong Kong Island Police Station issued an official statement announcing that the investigation into the major assassination case involving mercenaries and hitmen from a week prior had been concluded. It was confirmed that Gusta and his entire team had indeed hired assassins to commit murder. Consequently, the police formally decided to issue arrest warrants for these individuals and transfer the case to the Public Prosecutor’s Office for prosecution.

Shortly after the police statement was released, Gusta immediately published an open letter of apology to Li Yi in mainstream media outlets such as the South China Evening News and the Oriental Daily.

This public admission of hiring a hitman had a massive impact. Not only did the Sassoon family face public condemnation and scorn, but even those associated with the British-owned conglomerate were affected.

After all, hiring a hitman is an utterly despicable tactic that crosses the line of fair business competition.

At the same time, everyone was relieved that, fortunately, their target this time was Li Yi, who had deep-rooted connections; had it been anyone else, they would likely have succeeded. Consequently, calls for severe punishment of Gusta grew louder by the day.

However, Li Yi had not been involved in these affairs. For one thing, he had accepted a bribe from them and did not want to bear the stigma of going back on his word.

Secondly, he had been busy mobilizing funds lately and simply didn’t have time to get involved in such messy affairs.

While waiting for the funds from the Chamber of Commerce members, Li Yi had Zhao Xinlan personally step in to aggressively seek loans from major banks across Hong Kong.

As for the loans, he accepted any offer as long as the interest rates were reasonable.

Of course, given the massive sums involved, he couldn’t rely on personal connections alone; to secure the loans, he didn’t hesitate to pledge assets such as partial stakes in Cloudtop One, Hang Seng Bank, and the New Territories Warehouse as collateral.

After a flurry of activity, Li Yi secured a total of 18 billion Hong Kong dollars in loans from various banks.

Combined with the funds the company could mobilize and those raised by the Chamber of Commerce members, he had a total of over 94 billion Hong Kong dollars at his disposal.

Upon receiving the funds, Li Yi did not hesitate and immediately converted the entire sum into British pounds.

Such a massive transaction naturally did not go unnoticed by the major powers. Upon learning of Li Yi’s move, both the British-owned conglomerates and the Sassoon family were taken aback.

Just as everyone was nervously speculating on the intent behind Li Yi’s move, he quietly had word leaked that he was heading to London for a second round of investments.

Once the news spread, many factions began to stir.

Some planned to follow in Li Yi’s footsteps to cash in on the opportunity, while others had their own agendas…

Just as the situation was growing increasingly unpredictable, another significant event unfolded on Hong Kong Island: the Hong Kong dollar depreciated once again, with its exchange rate against the US dollar plummeting to an unprecedented 9.6:1.

This exchange rate set a new record low for the Hong Kong dollar against the US dollar, causing many to seriously question their confidence in the currency.

It’s important to note that since the stock market crash began last year, the Hong Kong dollar has been depreciating rapidly. In just one short year, the exchange rate has plummeted from 5.06:1 to 9.06:1, a drop of nearly 50%.

In other words, over the past year, the value of any Hong Kong dollars you held has effectively halved.

Consequently, many people, seeing this situation, have rushed to exchange their Hong Kong dollars for U.S. dollars or British pounds.

Consequently, the supply of Hong Kong dollars flooding the market has increased, while US dollars and British pounds have become severely scarce. This has directly led to further appreciation in the exchange rates of these foreign currencies, creating a vicious cycle.

Fortunately, Li Yi had foreseen this outcome long ago. After earning his first profit last year, he converted all his funds into US dollars and deposited them at Citibank.

Now that the exchange rate had hit rock bottom, and with the one-year deposit term having expired, Li Yi immediately instructed the finance department to settle and withdraw the funds.

Since it was a deposit, the settlement process was very straightforward.

On July 20, once the 1.457 billion US dollars had been successfully settled, Li Yi knew it was time to set off for New York.

Before leaving, Li Yi instructed Zhao Xinlan to convert 1.4 billion US dollars into British pounds, while the remaining 57 million US dollars were transferred to the account of Green Brothers Company.

After entrusting the two children to the care of his mother-in-law and eldest sister, Li Yi and Jiang Xue, accompanied by several bodyguards and team members including Li Yunbao, Pang Feiyan, and Liang He, boarded the flight to New York!

The abrupt ringing of the phone interrupted Li Yi’s conversation with the two company executives.

He immediately gestured to Pang Feiyan and Zhao Xinlan, then picked up the receiver and said, “Hello, who is this?”

“Brother Li Yi, it’s me!”

Hearing Li Futiao’s familiar voice, Li Yi immediately replied, “Old Li, is there something you need so early in the morning?”

“Yeah, about setting up a factory in Pengcheng. I’ve spoken with those industrial companies and families. Currently, over a dozen enterprises have expressed interest, but they still want to understand the specifics of how we’d collaborate!” Li Fuzhao said.

Li Yi thought for a moment and said, “Here’s what we’ll do, Old Li. Talk to those businesspeople interested in setting up a factory in Pengcheng and see if they can make time to visit Pengcheng for an on-site inspection!”

“As for the specific terms of cooperation, let them negotiate directly with the Pengcheng municipal government. You and I will just act as intermediaries; we won’t get involved in the rest of the details!”

Li Futiao nodded and said, “That sounds reasonable. I’ll go talk to them about it later!”

“Alright!”

“Also, the Henry family is willing to transfer 10% of Huifeng’s shares to you in exchange for Henry’s life. Whenever it’s convenient for you, I’ll have them come over to sign the share transfer agreement!”

Li Yi thought for a moment and said, “Anytime today is fine!”

“Alright, I’ll have them head over right now!” Li Futiao said.

“Alright!”

“Yesterday afternoon, the Liu family sold their entire fleet to the Bao family of Banbanhaobang, and they’ve also offloaded most of their family businesses at a deep discount. They’re willing to compensate you, Brother Li Yi, with 500 million Hong Kong dollars, in the hope that you’ll spare the Lius!” Li Futiao added.

Li Yi paused briefly, then said, “Agreed, but the Liu family must get the hell out of Hong Kong Island!”

Although he wasn’t a bloodthirsty man, he didn’t want to play the saint either.

After all, the Liu family were accomplices of Gusta. Although they hadn’t caused him any direct losses, their actions alone had crossed Li Yi’s red line. Telling them to get the hell out of Hong Kong Island was already a generous offer.

“Alright, I’ll let them know!”

Li Futiao then changed the subject and added, “By the way, Brother Li Yi, when are you planning to head over to New York?”

“In a week!”

He chose this timing mainly because the dollar deposit he’d made at Citibank last year was due to mature in a week; he planned to settle that matter before heading to New York.

“Alright, got it. I’ll let you know once the paperwork is done!”

“Yeah, I plan to bring Yunbao and a few people from the company with me this time. Could you handle the paperwork for all of us, Old Li?” Li Yi added.

“Alright, just have Yunbao bring me the list, and I’ll handle the rest!” Li Fu replied.

“Alright…”

Li Yi had just hung up the phone and was about to continue discussing investment matters with Pang Feiyan and Zhao Xinlan when a series of knocks suddenly sounded at the door.

Then, with Li Yi’s permission, Lan Xinming pushed the door open and walked in.

“Boss, Dolsen and the others are here. They say they want to sign the share transfer agreement with you!”

“Let them in!”

“Yes, sir!”

Soon, led by Lan Xinming, seven or eight Westerners in suits strode in, with Dolsen at the forefront.

Upon seeing Li Yi, Dolsen immediately said, “Li, I’ve already drafted the share transfer agreement. If you have no objections, we can sign it right now.”

With that, Dolsen handed Li Yi a thick stack of documents.

Li Yi took the documents immediately but didn’t open them right away; instead, he gently placed them on the table beside him.

He then asked Lan Xinming to call Li Yunbao over, as he was the one with the expertise to review contracts.

While Li Yunbao was reviewing the contract terms, Dolsen looked at Li Yi and said, “Li, aside from the matter regarding Gusta, I’ve also come today to discuss your contract renewal with you!”

“Renewal?”

“Yes, our previous non-aggression pact has expired. If you’re willing, I hope both sides can continue to extend this agreement!” said Dolsen.

Li Yi looked at Dolsen, then said with interest, “Are you afraid the Chinese Business Association might take action against you?”

Dawson did not deny this, but said, “Although that agreement has certain loopholes, it remains quite binding on us, and it plays a role that cannot be overlooked in maintaining peace within Hong Kong’s business community.”

“Moreover, I can assure you that no matter how the political situation develops in the future, our British-owned group will remain committed to maintaining the stable economic development of Hong Kong Island.”

It must be said that this guy is truly clever; he knew exactly what Li Yi wanted, so he offered a condition Li Yi couldn’t refuse.

Although his promise currently seemed to hold no real meaning or value, Li Yi couldn’t simply refuse it—after all, the British-owned Group’s influence on Hong Kong Island’s economy was simply too great.

To put it simply, even a casual statement from them right now could affect the lives—and even the thoughts—of tens of thousands of Hong Kong residents.

With that in mind, Li Yi immediately replied, “Alright, let’s do as you say and renew that agreement!”

“What’s the term?” asked Dolsen.

“One year!”

“Alright, one year it is. I’m sure the negotiations between the two countries will have reached a conclusion by then, so we’ll discuss this matter again at that time!”

Although Li Yi knew that no results would come next year—the real outcome wouldn’t materialize until the year after—he didn’t say anything more.

By then, Li Yunbao had also finished reviewing the contract and said to Li Yi, “Brother Yi, the contract is all good!”

Li Yi nodded, then turned to Dolsen and said, “The contract is good. We can sign it!”

“Okay!”

Subsequently, on behalf of the Sassoon family, Dorson signed the contract with Li Yi for the transfer of the 43% stake in New Territories Warehouse.

After exchanging the contract, Dorson added, “Li, this afternoon I’ll issue a statement on behalf of the British Investment Group confirming that the previous agreement has been extended for another year. I hope the Chinese Chamber of Commerce will confirm this as soon as possible!”

“No problem!”

“Then we won’t keep you any longer!”

With that, Dolsen and his entourage left Li Yi’s office.

Shortly after Dolsen and his party left, members of the Henry family arrived.

Compared to the Sassoon family, the Henry family adopted a much more humble stance.

On the one hand, the Henry family was, after all, only a second-tier family; both in terms of strength and influence, they lagged far behind the Sassoon family. Li Yi’s successive, devastating blows to the Sassoon family had instilled a sense of fear in them.

On the other hand, the Henry family’s investments in Asia far exceeded those in Europe. If the forces behind Li Yi were to target them, the consequences would be catastrophic.

Consequently, from the very beginning, they dared not adopt the same defiant attitude as the Sassoon family.

Besides, even a powerhouse like the Sassoon family had ultimately been forced to submit in disgrace.

If the Henry family had a larger family base, they might even have abandoned Henry—that prodigal son and troublemaker—altogether.

Given the Henry family’s relatively cooperative attitude, Li Yi did not press the issue. After collecting 1 billion Hong Kong dollars from them, he agreed to leave Henry alone.

With that, the fates of most of the individuals involved in this case had been settled.

Apart from the several hundred who were killed at the time, most members of the South Monkey Gang had been released, though each was saddled with a massive debt of at least 100,000 Hong Kong dollars.

Of the remaining 19 suspects, including Gusta, Henry and the man surnamed Liu were merely accomplices. Since Li Yi had decided not to press charges against them—or rather, had allowed their families to use their connections to resolve the matter—it was highly likely that both would be acquitted.

Gusta, on the other hand, will be sentenced to five years in prison. As for the remaining 14 captured mercenaries and assassins, they won’t be so lucky—they will most likely be sentenced to death.

Overall, Li Yi was quite satisfied with this outcome!

With this matter settled, it was time to tackle the second round of investments.

Thinking of this, Li Yi immediately began to carefully plan his strategy. After all, he didn’t intend to bring much money with him on this trip to New York; he planned to pull off a scheme to make a profit with nothing to invest…

……..

The conversation in the bedroom continued!

As she listened to her husband meticulously detailing their family’s assets to her, hearing figures in the hundreds of millions one after another, Jiang Xue felt as if she were living in a dream.

Back home, she’d thought a few million was already an astronomical sum.

But in just a short time, the units Li Yi used when speaking to her had already shifted to hundreds of millions.

After a long moment, Jiang Xue said in astonishment, “How many lifetimes would it take us to spend all this money?”

Seeing his wife’s adorable expression, Li Yi couldn’t help but laugh. “Hahaha, with you—someone who feels guilty about spending 180,000 a day—I doubt we’ll ever be able to spend all this money!”

Just then, Jiang Xue suddenly said, “Now that our family is so wealthy, could you please stop working so hard? You’re gone for months at a time, and the kids and I miss you so much!”

Li Yi thought for a moment and replied, “I can’t just yet. The main thing is, I don’t have much cash left. Once I’ve replenished my funds a bit, I’ll come home to be with you and the kids!”

As he said this, Li Yi sounded a bit resigned.

In truth, he had made a substantial profit on this venture. After deducting all costs from this trip to London, his personal share of the profits amounted to a staggering 4.6 billion pounds.

However, to prove the Sassoon family wrong, he had acquired Sheffield United Steel Company—an investment that alone had cost him a full 6.2 billion pounds.

In other words, he hadn’t brought back a single penny of profit from this trip to London; on the contrary, he’d actually lost 1.6 billion pounds—equivalent to 27.2 billion Hong Kong dollars.

Prior to this, his total assets amounted to over 23 billion Hong Kong dollars; aside from setting aside 2 billion for emergencies, he brought the rest to London.

As a result, even if he included the entire 21 billion Hong Kong dollars in principal he brought with him, there was still a shortfall of over 6 billion Hong Kong dollars.

Although this shortfall was covered by loans secured in London, the loans still had to be repaid.

Therefore, Li Yi had no choice but to make a second investment immediately after this investment operation concluded.

“Can you take me along on this investment?” Jiang Xue asked.

It wasn’t that she was short on money, nor was she looking to make a fortune; she simply wanted to be by Li Yi’s side and see how he made his money.

To be honest, Jiang Xue felt that the way her man made money was simply magical.

Back when they were in the village, whether he was selling mushrooms or cold noodles, or even later when he opened a restaurant in Beijing and got into the clothing business, she could understand all of that.

But ever since he’d moved to Hong Kong, Jiang Xue had found herself struggling to make sense of Li Yi’s money-making schemes. To her, this wasn’t making money at all—it was practically robbery!

“Sure, I’ve already talked it over with Old Li. I’ll take you on a trip to New York in a couple of days!” Li Yi said.

“Really? What about Yunrui and Yunjin? Should we bring them along too?” Jiang Xue asked.

“No need to bring them. Flying for over ten hours straight is just too exhausting. Let the kids stay on Hong Kong Island with their mom and their older sister!” Li Yi said.

“But… is that really okay?”

The children had never been away from her since they were born, and since she didn’t know how long this trip would take, Jiang Xue felt a bit worried.

“Why wouldn’t it work? We’ll have Zhang Feng and Yang Miao stay here to look after Mom and the kids, and have my brother-in-law send over some people to help. It’ll be fine!” Li Yi said.

“Alright, then!”

Then Jiang Xue changed the subject, looking at Li Yi with hopeful eyes. “I have some pocket money. Could I use it to earn a little extra?”

“Sure. First, tell me how much you have,” Li Yi said with a smile.

“I have about 7.8 million, but it’s all in our domestic currency. I’m not sure how to exchange it for US dollars,” Jiang Xue said.

“Hahaha, I never would’ve guessed my wife was a little rich girl too!”

Jiang Xue blushed and immediately replied, “It’s all from you…”

“Once it’s in your hands, it’s yours!”

Li Yi continued, “All that converting back and forth is too much of a hassle. 7.5 million RMB is roughly 3.8 million US dollars. Once we get there, I’ll give you 3.9 million US dollars as principal—just treat it as a loan from me. If we make a profit, you pay back the principal, and the profits are your spending money!”

“What if I lose money?”

Li Yi suddenly gave Jiang Xue’s delicate figure a mischievous look, then whispered in her ear, “If we lose money, you’ll have to pay me back with your body!”

Jiang Xue wrapped her arms around his neck and said, her breath fragrant, “How exactly would you settle the debt?”

Li Yi chuckled, pinned her beneath him, and proceeded to demonstrate.

Outside, a light rain fell steadily; inside, soft moans and whispers filled the air…

……….

The next morning!

Since he had to attend to matters regarding the second round of investment, Li Yi got up early.

But as soon as he got up, he felt a slight ache in his lower back.

Looking at Jiang Xue, who was still fast asleep, Li Yi couldn’t help but sigh to himself. “Lust is a blade that cuts to the bone”—that saying was absolutely spot on.

He’d only indulged himself for two consecutive days, and his body was already sending out faint warning signals. He really had no idea how those people managed to party night after night.

After a quick wash, Li Yi gave Jiang Xue a gentle kiss on the cheek, then left the house with Zhang Ziqiang, Zhou Wen, and the others.

As soon as he arrived at the office, Li Yi had someone summon Pang Feiyan and Zhao Xinlan to his office!

“Boss, you called for us?”

Li Yi nodded and said to Pang Feiyan, “Yes. How much capital did we raise yesterday?”

Pang Feiyan first produced a document, then said, “The members of the Chamber of Commerce were all willing to reinvest their principal and interest from previous projects into the new initiative. On top of that, they’ve committed an additional 14 billion Hong Kong dollars!”

“Excellent!”

Li Yi then asked, “By the way, have the bonuses for the London trip been distributed yet?”

“Not yet. Xinlan said the amount is quite large and requires your personal signature, Boss!” Pang Feiyan replied.

Zhao Xinlan immediately explained, “Boss, a bonus of 1 million Hong Kong dollars for each trader is indeed a substantial amount; we need your personal signature to approve it!”

Li Yi nodded and said, “Alright, I’ll sign it in a moment. And when the bonuses are distributed, make sure to get the media to give it some good publicity.”

Li Yi wasn’t about to pass up such a golden opportunity for positive publicity for the company.

He figured that once news of the million-dollar bonuses got out, it would surely set the entire Hong Kong Island ablaze again, and by then, their company would undoubtedly attract even more capital.

Li Yi then turned to the CFO, Zhao Xinlan, and asked, “How much capital does the company currently have available?”

Zhao Xinlan clearly had a thorough understanding of the company’s financial situation. Without even glancing at the financial statements, she replied, “Excluding the 6.8 billion pounds to be settled in London, our company currently has approximately 66 billion Hong Kong dollars in available funds!”

“Of that, the company has about 6.2 billion in its own funds, and we’ve borrowed 60 billion from London. However, that doesn’t include the additional 14 billion pledged by Chamber members. If we include that, it comes to roughly 80 billion, but…”

“But what?” Li Yi asked immediately.

“But we can’t invest all of this money; we need to set aside a portion as a contingency. Also, you previously promised to allocate 10 billion Hong Kong dollars to New Territories Warehouse for construction—that sum…”

Before Zhao Xinlan could finish, Li Yi spoke again: “Then the company will set aside 2 billion Hong Kong dollars as a contingency fund. As for the New Territories Warehouse, we’ll transfer 2 billion to them first, and the remainder will be allocated to them after this investment initiative is completed!”

“Yes!”

“Xinlan, you personally lead a team to visit various banks this afternoon and tell them that Star Investment is applying for a loan!” Li Yi said.

“Boss, how much do we need to borrow?” Zhao Xinlan asked.

“As long as the interest rate is reasonable, borrow as much as you can—but we only want Hong Kong dollars!” Li Yi said.

“Yes…”

Just then, the phone on Li Yi’s desk suddenly rang…

……..

In the office, Li Yi poured water for the two men while saying to Huang Lixing, “Old Huang, you’ve invested 4 billion Hong Kong dollars this time, bringing the total principal and interest to 9.23 billion. If you need the funds, just settle up with Zhao Xinlan; if not…”

Before he could finish, Huang Lixing interrupted, “No… no, just keep guiding my investments!”

“Alright then!”

No sooner had he finished speaking than Li Futiao asked, “Brother Li Yi, I see everyone’s spirits are high today. I doubt many people are willing to settle their funds and leave; in fact, they’ll likely keep pouring money in. Can you really handle that much capital?”

Li Yi smiled and said, “We can. This project is very special—we can handle any amount!”

This investment project was indeed unique, and it involved no real difficulty or risk—it was simply a quick way to make money by capitalizing on the appreciation of the British pound.

Put simply, it involved converting all the raised funds into pounds, depositing them in the bank, and waiting for the British government to adjust the pound’s exchange rate.

When the pound appreciated, the amount of Hong Kong dollars that could be exchanged would increase, and the investment would be a success.

In short, it’s currency speculation.

Of course, this assumes you know the fluctuations in a country’s exchange rate and have legal channels to obtain that country’s currency.

In many countries, currency speculation is illegal, so even if you know how exchange rates will fluctuate, it’s difficult to profit from it.

However, since Hong Kong is currently a dependency of the British Empire, the Hong Kong dollar has long been pegged to the pound. This means the Hong Kong dollar can be exchanged for pounds at any time—a process that doesn’t even require a trip to London.

“Hearing you say that puts my mind at ease!” Li Fu said.

“Hmm, by the way, Old Li, there’s something I’d like to ask for your help with!” Li Yi said.

“What is it? Go ahead.”

“Here’s the thing: I want you to contact some manufacturing companies in Hong Kong and get them to set up factories in the Pengcheng Special Economic Zone across the strait. Then we’ll place orders for production at those factories over there. What do you think, banbanhaobang?” Li Yi said.

“What are the specific requirements?” Li Futao asked.

“They must be legitimate manufacturing enterprises—like garment factories or toy factories. We’ll provide the capital and raw materials here, while they’ll provide the land and labor, along with tax incentives. It’s a win-win for both sides!” Li Yi said.

“Alright, I’ll discuss this with them. It shouldn’t be a problem!” Li Futiao said.

“Great!”

Then Li Yi added, “Also, in a few days, I plan to take Xiao Xue to New York. Could you help us with the paperwork?”

“Sure!”

Then Li Futiao added, “Oh, and the Henry family has responded. They’re willing to pay 10 million Hong Kong dollars to buy Henry’s freedom. What do you think?”

Li Yi thought for a moment and said, “I don’t want their 10 billion Hong Kong dollars. As far as I know, the Henry family controls 22% of Huifeng’s shares. Just have them transfer 5% of their shares to me!”

Li Futiao thought for a moment and said, “Huifeng’s market cap is only 18 billion right now. A 5% stake is worth just 900 million Hong Kong dollars. Are you really taking shares instead of cash?”

“Yeah. Tell them I don’t want to see that guy on Hong Kong Island anymore. Once the shares are transferred, kick him out immediately!” Li Yi said.

“Alright, what about the Liu family? How do you plan to handle them?” Li Futao asked again.

“The Liu family is in the shipping business, right?”

“Right, they own a shipping fleet, but their operations aren’t very large!”

“Let their company go bankrupt. The business can be acquired by the Bao family or other interested Chamber of Commerce members. As for the head of the Liu family, he can go serve a few years alongside Gusta—that way, we won’t put their family through any hardship,” Li Yi said.

“Alright, I’ve got a plan. Get this sorted out as soon as possible!” Li Futiao said.

“Alright…”

………

Late at night, all was quiet!

In the luxurious master bedroom of the grand villa, the young couple, having just shared a passionate moment, were now leaning against the soft headboard, chatting.

Li Yi ran his hand over Jiang Xue’s “breast” as he asked, “Did you have fun at the party today?”

“It was fun, but I’m still getting used to it!” Jiang Xue said with a hint of self-pity.

“What didn’t you get used to?” Li Yi asked immediately.

“First of all, they spend way too much money. Between buying clothes, getting my hair done, and buying a gift for Mrs. Luo, I spent 180,000 Hong Kong dollars in just one day. It’s so extravagant!”

Jiang Xue continued, “Also, compared to those wealthy ladies and heiresses, I felt like a country bumpkin—I just didn’t fit in at all!”

Hearing this, Li Yi realized his little wife was feeling a bit insecure.

After all, compared to those aristocratic ladies and young ladies, both the Jiang and Li families seemed more like nouveau riche.

And she, having been born in a small county town and spent 19 of her 21 years in poverty, was nothing but an ugly duckling compared to those wealthy ladies and young misses who had lived a life of luxury since childhood.

“Has anyone bullied you?” Li Yi asked.

“Not really. Whether it was Mrs. Luo, Miss Luo, or anyone else, they were all very friendly to me—they even seemed to be trying to curry favor with me a little!”

Li Yi smiled and said, “Good for them for knowing their place. From now on, you should attend more of these socialite gatherings. Once you’ve gotten to know these wealthy ladies and young ladies, you can even invite them over to our place.”

“Is that a good idea?”

“Why not? You have to understand that high society is all about connections—it’s the same for men and women alike. Only by entering these circles can you truly share resources!” Li Yi explained.

“Sister Hong did mention to me that everyone attending today’s gathering comes from the most prominent wealthy families on the entire island. Ordinary people don’t even qualify for an invitation. But can I really fit into such an exclusive circle?” Jiang Xue said, sounding a bit unsure.

“Why do you need to fit into their circle?”

“Didn’t you just say I should spend more time with them…”

Li Yi smiled, then said with authority, “I told you to interact more with those wealthy young ladies and ladies of the house not so you can figure out how to fit in with them, but to give them a chance to befriend you. You must understand that right now, our family is the wealthiest in Hong Kong Island—the Li family is the largest and most powerful elite family on the island!”

Jiang Xue was clearly stunned by Li Yi’s words. She stared at him with her beautiful, wide eyes for a long moment before asking, “Is our family really the richest in Hong Kong?”

“As far as I can tell, no one is richer than us right now!” Li Yi replied.

“Then how much money do we have in total?”

Jiang Xue’s question stumped Li Yi; he hadn’t actually calculated how much money he had.

It wasn’t that Li Yi didn’t want to calculate it; rather, for a super-rich person, his wealth fluctuates constantly, making it impossible to arrive at an exact figure.

But since his wife had already asked, Li Yi naturally had to give her an answer.

He fell into deep thought.

After a moment, Li Yi finally said, “I haven’t actually calculated exactly how much money we have, and I couldn’t even if I tried. But Sheffield Steel alone has a market value of 10.4 billion pounds. We control 90% of the company’s shares, which is worth 9.3 billion pounds—that’s nearly 160 billion Hong Kong dollars…”

“160… billion?”

Jiang Xue clearly hadn’t realized just how wealthy her family was; her voice trembled slightly as she spoke!

“And that doesn’t even include our holdings in Hong Kong, the mainland, and New York. For instance, we own 70% of Hang Seng Bank, which is worth 5 billion Hong Kong dollars, and 94% of New Territories Warehouse, valued at 6 billion. On top of that, there’s Star Investment and Shield Security—these two companies aren’t publicly listed, so they’re hard to value, but they’re certainly worth a pretty penny!”

Li Yi continued, “And then there are our investments in New York. For instance, we own 30% of Green Brothers and 10% of Apple. Combined, that’s worth several billion US dollars!”

Listening as her husband laid out their family’s wealth item by item, Jiang Xue was completely dumbfounded.

Finally, she understood where her husband got the confidence to claim that the Li family was the most powerful tycoon family in Hong Kong…

………

Starlight Tower. Conference Room!

When Li Yi and Huang Lixing walked in, escorted by a group of bodyguards, the conference room was already packed with people.

Upon seeing the two of them, the previously chaotic conference room fell instantly silent.

Then, though no one knew who started it, enthusiastic applause soon erupted throughout the room.

For one thing, the news that Durson had personally come to the company that morning and, on behalf of the Sassoon family, had conceded defeat to Li Yi had already spread throughout Hong Kong Island.

Now everyone knew that Li Yi had won—not only had he defeated the British-owned conglomerate that had dominated Hong Kong’s business world for decades, but he had also defeated the Sassoon family, the conglomerate’s power brokers behind the scenes. This not only gave local Chinese businesspeople in Hong Kong a sense of vindication but also made them feel a sense of shared pride.

Secondly, before the meeting, everyone had been informed via phone call that the funds from London had already been settled, and today’s meeting was specifically to discuss the settlement of principal and interest.

After waiting so long, the funds were finally being settled, so everyone was naturally overjoyed and didn’t hold back their applause.

Seeing this, Li Yi and Huang Lixing both walked toward their seats with smiles on their faces.

Once seated, Li Yi first raised both hands in a gesture of silence.

Then, clearing his throat, he said, “I’ve called you all here today out of your busy schedules primarily to discuss two matters. The first concerns the relationship between our Chinese Chamber of Commerce and the British Capital Group—or rather, how we should interact with the British Capital Group.”

“For a very long time, our relationship with the British Capital Group has been highly strained, even hostile. The two sides have engaged in repeated capital wars, resulting in mutual losses…”

When the others heard the phrase “both sides have suffered losses,” some broke into smug grins, while others looked utterly bewildered, wondering when exactly they had ever suffered any losses!

Seeing this, Li Yi paused briefly before continuing, “This morning, Dolsen came to see me personally. In addition to offering an apology and conceding defeat on behalf of the Sassoon family, he also explained the situation to me: the British Capital Group was not involved in the Sassoon family’s recent actions against our Chinese Chamber of Commerce.”

“Furthermore, he expressed a willingness to coexist peacefully with us. After careful analysis and consideration, I’ve come to realize that the global economic situation is improving, and this is a prime opportunity to invest and make money. We shouldn’t waste our time and energy fighting them.”

“Therefore, I propose that we temporarily cease hostilities with the British-owned Group. What do you all think?”

No sooner had he finished speaking than Li Futiao immediately replied, “Our informant embedded within the British-owned Group has also reported that, aside from a few individual families, the majority of the British-owned Group neither supported nor participated in this operation. Therefore, I also agree to temporarily cease hostilities with the British-owned Group!”

“Our He family also agrees with Mr. Li’s proposal, but on the condition that they do not act hostilely toward us. If they take any actions detrimental to our Chinese Merchants’ Association, we will still go to war if necessary!” said He Dongying.

Next, the Luo, Bao, and Huo families, among others, followed suit, and the matter was quickly approved unanimously.

Actually, this was easy to understand; after all, they were all merchants, gathered together for the sake of profit.

As long as those foreigners didn’t come looking for trouble, the others naturally had no interest in fighting them.

Once this matter was settled, Li Yi spoke again: “The second item on today’s agenda is the investment settlement that everyone is most concerned about. The final payment from London was settled yesterday, and the crisis on Hong Kong Island has also been resolved, so it’s time to settle the principal and interest for this round!”

“Now, please welcome Ms. Pang Feiyan, Head of the Investment Department at Star Investment Company, to announce the profits from this investment. Let’s give her a warm round of applause!”

“Clap, clap, clap!”

Amid the enthusiastic applause, Pang Feiyan first stood up and bowed to the crowd before taking out the prepared documents to read aloud.

“The profits from this investment and the investor dividends have been calculated. According to our statistics, the investment company raised a total of 3.53 billion pounds, equivalent to 60 billion Hong Kong dollars. Of this amount, 18 billion was raised by Dahai Private Equity, 25 billion came from shareholders’ own funds, 16.2 billion was raised by Chamber of Commerce members, and the remaining 1.8 billion came from other sources!”

Pang Feiyan continued, “After deducting all taxes, fees, and capital usage costs, this investment generated a total profit of 7.696 billion pounds, equivalent to 130.832 billion Hong Kong dollars…”

At this point, the conference room erupted once again in thunderous applause. The roar of cheers continued unabated, as if it might lift the roof off the building.

The applause lasted nearly a minute before finally subsiding at Pang Feiyan’s signal.

“According to the agreement signed between the company and all of you, upon the conclusion of the investment, the principal and 60% of the profits will be distributed to you. After calculation, the 32 members of the Chamber of Commerce will collectively receive 19.8 billion Hong Kong dollars plus 16.2 billion in principal, totaling 36 billion!”

An investment of 16.2 billion, yielding a profit of 19.8 billion in just over three months—a return on investment of 122%.

Instantly, the conference room erupted:

“Thank you, Mr. Li Yi, for giving us this opportunity. We are truly grateful!”

“That’s incredible! Making a massive profit of 130.8 billion from a single investment—I never even dared to dream of such a thing!”

“You’re absolutely right. Our Wang family has been in business for three generations—we’ve worked hard for a century just to build this modest fortune. Compared to Mr. Li, we’re truly ashamed!”

“Your Wang family is still doing well. At least you invested 10 billion Hong Kong dollars this time. Our Wu family only put in 200 million… sigh…”

Hearing the murmurs of the crowd, Li Yi cleared his throat and said, “Everyone, please be quiet!”

At the sound of Li Yi’s voice, the conference room fell silent once more.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I have one more thing to say regarding the principal and interest settlement. The first round of investment has concluded, but the company will soon be launching the second round!”

Li Yi continued, “I’ll briefly outline the details of this investment round. It remains the same as last time: the return on investment is over 50%, and the investment cycle is approximately three months. However, we’re making an adjustment to the commission structure—we’re reinstating the 50% commission rate!”

“Those willing to proceed with the second round of investment can go to the Investment Department to sign a contract after this settlement is completed. If you are unwilling to participate in the second round or need funds urgently, please go to Manager Zhao Xinlan for a cash settlement!”

No sooner had Li Yi finished speaking than Li Futiao asked loudly, “Brother Li Yi, are there any minimum investment requirements for this second round?”

“None, but I personally won’t accept anything under 10 million. You can just invest that directly into the company’s private equity fund,” Li Yi replied.

“Alright, the Li family won’t be claiming our principal and interest this time—we’ll put it all into this round of investment. On top of that, the Li family will invest an additional 5 billion!” Li Futiao declared with great confidence.

At these words, everyone in the conference room was stunned.

Wow, the Li family had already invested nearly 3 billion in the first round, with a total principal and interest of at least 6.5 billion.

If they added another 5 billion, that would bring the total to 11.5 billion. When did the Li family become this wealthy?

What the others didn’t know was that Li Yi’s investment trip to London had been fully supported by the Li family’s subsidiary and financial managers, and during this process, the Li family had also injected a substantial amount of additional capital to follow up on the investment.

From this round of investment alone, the Li family made 700 million pounds in London, totaling 12 billion Hong Kong dollars.

Combined with the dividends received from Li Yi, the Li family reaped total returns of over 15 billion Hong Kong dollars from this investment.

Although the others didn’t earn as much as the Li family, they still made a killing this time. Seeing Li Futao throwing money so recklessly at Li Yi’s investment projects, they immediately followed suit.

“Our He family is investing 2 billion Hong Kong dollars this time, for a total of 4.5 billion including principal and interest!”

“Our Luo family is contributing 2 billion Hong Kong dollars, for a total investment of 3.5 billion including principal and interest!”

“Our Bao family is contributing 2 billion…”

Soon, the meeting’s agenda shifted from investment settlements to new investment subscriptions.

Li Yi welcomed every offer without hesitation. He even instructed Pang Feiyan to immediately summon the investment department staff to the conference room to sign contracts directly with these chamber of commerce members.

While everyone was busy signing the contract, Li Yi returned to his office with Huang Lixing and Li Futiao!

………

Looking at Dolsen, who had come alone, Li Yi smiled and said, “I hear you’ve taken over all of the investment projects and funds left behind by Gusta. Congratulations!”

Dawson shook his head and said, “Li, compared to what you’ve gained, what I’ve received is practically nothing!”

“You don’t seem very satisfied?” Li Yi said casually.

“No, I’m just a little worried!”

“Are you worried you won’t be able to beat us in the future, or that one day we’ll defeat you?” Li Yi asked.

Dawson sighed and said, “Li, the strength of your Chinese Chamber of Commerce has grown far too quickly. Now you not only hold an absolute advantage in manufacturing and real estate, but you’ve also secured controlling stakes in major banks like Hang Seng and Longheng. On top of that, you’ve acquired a portion of Huifeng’s shares. I’m truly worried that one day you’ll drive our alliance out of Hong Kong Island in one fell swoop!”

Li Yi replied calmly, “That depends on the choices you make!”

“What do you mean?”

“Hong Kong is a free and open city. If you British-owned groups focus on doing legitimate business—rather than manipulating the financial markets and stock exchanges to bleed investors dry like you used to—both I and the newly arrived residents will welcome your investments here!”

Li Yi continued, “But if you still harbor malicious intentions and choose to oppose us, Gusta and Henry will serve as a cautionary tale for you!”

Dawson nodded and said, “I understand what you mean. I promise you that as long as I’m on Hong Kong Island, the British Capital Group will not be your enemy.”

“If I become the head of the family, the entire Sassoon family will not be at odds with you or the forces behind you!”

Li Yi nodded and said, “Hmm, tell me why you’re here. You didn’t come all this way just to say that, did you?”

Dawson paused briefly, then said, “The family asked me to contact you. They’re willing to accept all your terms—as long as you spare Gusta’s life!”

No sooner had the words left his mouth than Li Yi replied with a half-smile, “I didn’t expect your family to value that Gusta so highly. That doesn’t seem like a good thing for you, does it?”

Dorson frowned at first, then sighed and said, “Our family has four branches in total. For the past forty years or so, it’s been Gusta’s branch that’s held power. They don’t want the clan leader’s authority to return to our branch!”

“And since Gusta is the uncle of Haim—another strong contender for the family inheritance—and also his right-hand man, they certainly won’t give him up easily.”

“Do you want me to take him out for you?” Li Yi said indifferently.

“That won’t be necessary. A living Gusta is more useful than a corpse!” Dolsen replied.

Hearing this, Li Yi couldn’t help but laugh, then said, “We Chinese have an old saying: ‘Great minds think alike.’ I never expected our views on this matter to be so similar!”

The reason he hadn’t killed Gusta outright wasn’t just because he didn’t want to get his hands too bloody; more importantly, Li Yi felt that, in a certain sense, Gusta was his ally.

That’s right—an ally!

If it weren’t for his reckless blunder, Li Yi would have had a much harder time handling the British Investment Group—and the Sassoon family even more so.

To put it bluntly, if the Sassoon family had entrusted these funds to Dalson to manage this time, the situation might have turned out quite differently.

Setting aside whether it would have dealt a severe blow to him, at the very least, he wouldn’t have suffered such a crushing defeat as he had now.

Therefore, to the Sassoon family, Gusta was nothing but a liability!

Hearing Li Yi’s words, Dowson couldn’t help but laugh: “Exactly, great minds think alike!”

After the laughter subsided, Li Yi continued, “Since your family has already accepted those terms, let’s proceed step by step!”

“Alright, tomorrow I’ll have my lawyer handle the share transfer, and I’ll have Gusta issue a formal apology to you in the media.”

Dorson continued, “As for Gusta serving five years in prison on Hong Kong Island, we’ll leave that to the court’s decision.”

“Agreed!”

Li Yi then extended his hand and said, “Let’s work together!”

“It’s been a pleasure working with you!”

After seeing Dalson off, Li Yi let out a long sigh of relief!

With the settlement of that fund in the London futures market and the Sassoon family’s capitulation, this capital war had finally come to a complete end.

Although the entire process had been nerve-wracking and fraught with danger, the outcome was excellent.

Now it was time to plan the next round of the hunt. This time, he intended to take his wife along for some fun…

………

Downtown. Yuan’s Restaurant!

In a luxurious private room, Li Yi held his daughter in one arm while feeding the little one with the other.

Beside him, Jiang Xue held their son and fed him in the same way.

In contrast, the older children, Rui Rui and Huang Min, were sitting in high chairs, eating on their own without needing to be fed by an adult.

The little girl, however, didn’t want Li Yi to feed her. She squirmed in his arms, her big, teary eyes fixed intently on the plate of roasted goose on the table, glistening with a rich, glossy sheen!

Ye Lingyun, standing nearby, couldn’t stand it anymore and said with a smile, “Xiao Yi, Yunjin always eats by herself at home. You should just let her eat on her own!”

“Is that so?”

Li Yi immediately had the little girl stand on the chair, while he held her small body from behind, letting her reach out to grab the dishes on the table herself.

This really got the little girl going. Pointing at the roast goose on the table, she drooled and mumbled, “Eat… eat chicken…”

Li Yi picked up a small piece of goose leg for her. The little girl clutched it with both hands and happily began to gnaw on it.

Seeing this, everyone in the private room burst into laughter at the little girl’s greedy little face…

Huang Lixing, sitting nearby, served food to his daughter Huang Min as he remarked, “Time really flies. I remember when I first met Brother Li Yi, my little one wasn’t even born yet, and now she can already feed herself!”

Chen Chuhong added, “If it weren’t for Brother Li Yi coming to our rescue back then, we probably would have…”

Before Chen Chuhong could finish, Li Yi cut her off, saying, “Sis, please don’t say that. Our meeting was fate.”

“Besides, I saved you back then on certain conditions. Since you’ve fulfilled all of them, let’s not bring it up again.”

Chen Chuhong smiled and said, “Speaking of that, we actually have an idea we’d like to discuss with you!”

“What idea?” Li Yi asked immediately.

“According to Aying (Chen Chuying), over the past two years we’ve donated more than 400 primary and secondary schools in North Sai Province, and another 200 are set to break ground this year. But in the neighboring provinces of Gansu, Ningxia, and Qinghai, many areas still lack schools. So we’re planning to expand our school donation efforts to these provinces. What do you think, Brother Li Yi?” Chen Chuhong said.

Hearing this, Li Yi was moved and immediately said, “That’s a great idea, but it’s going to cost a lot of money…”

Before Li Yi could finish, Huang Lixing chimed in with a laugh, “It’s a drop in the bucket! I plan to invest 50 million Hong Kong dollars to start with, and if that’s not enough, I’ll add more!”

Li Yi smiled and said, “What I mean is, I want to do my part too. Since you’re putting up 50 million, I’ll match that with 50 million as well. Let’s work together to carry out this charitable project!”

They say poverty breeds cunning, while wealth fosters a conscience.

After Li Yi made his fortune in his previous life, he had been quietly doing charity work all along. His original motivation was simple: atonement.

And he had indeed helped many people. Sometimes, Li Yi even wondered if the chance to start over was connected to his decades of unwavering dedication to charity.

Therefore, in this life, philanthropy and charity were also a crucial part of Li Yi’s life plan.

When he had no money, he made it a condition that Huang Lixing and his wife do the work in exchange for saving lives.

Now that he has money, he naturally intends to do it himself.

Upon hearing that Li Yi also planned to invest in charity work, Huang Lixing immediately asked, “Brother Li Yi, are you planning to build a school too?”

Li Yi smiled and said, “It should be more than just schools, but I haven’t figured out the specifics yet. I’ll put together a detailed plan in a few days!”

“Make sure to show it to me once you’ve finished the plan!” Huang Lixing said.

“Sure!”

At that moment, Huang Lixing glanced at his watch and said to Li Yi, “It’s almost two o’clock. We should head to the meeting!”

Li Yi nodded, then said goodbye to Jiang Xue, his mother-in-law, and the others before heading to the company with Huang Lixing and the rest of the group!

After a night of wild passion, when Li Yi woke up the next morning, the sun was already high in the sky.

He grabbed the watch from the nightstand and glanced at it, only to find it was already 9:30.

Turning to look, he saw that Jiang Xue was still fast asleep, a faint smile playing at the corners of her mouth.

Soon, Li Yi’s gaze was drawn to his wife’s delicate, slender body, exposed beneath the thin blanket.

Before him, Jiang Xue’s skin was fair and delicate, her figure graceful. Combined with the look of contentment on her face, she radiated a stunning beauty that made Li Yi unconsciously swallow hard.

They say the young don’t know the charms of a mature woman, mistaking a young girl for a treasure!

In fact, Li Yi had always believed that his own wife was the best woman in the world.

Jiang Xue, who had given birth at 21, possessed both the tenderness of a young girl and the maturity of a young wife. That unique allure—somewhere between the two—was simply too tempting, leaving Li Yi feeling utterly captivated.

Just then, Jiang Xue, who had been sleeping, opened her eyes as if sensing something.

After a moment of confusion, her gaze finally met Li Yi’s intense stare.

Seeing her husband staring intently at her body, Jiang Xue didn’t shy away as she used to; instead, she climbed out of bed and wrapped her arms around Li Yi’s neck, pressing a sweet kiss against his lips.

Li Yi had been away from home for nearly four months. At first, having their child to keep her company made it bearable, but as time went on, she missed him terribly and longed to be by his side immediately.

Perhaps because her longing was so intense, or perhaps because they were a long-married couple who had let their guard down, Jiang Xue now showed not a shred of reserve in front of her husband.

Li Yi noticed Jiang Xue’s change and was delighted by it.

In that moment, he pulled Jiang Xue into his arms and responded to her passionately…

However, just as the sparks were flying, there was a sudden pounding on the door.

Immediately afterward, the sound of children’s voices calling out “Mommy,” “Daddy,” and “Open the door!” echoed from outside!

Clearly, the two children had arrived!

This sudden noise was like a bucket of cold water, instantly dousing the rising tension in the room, and the dazed look in their eyes quickly faded.

Li Yi and Jiang Xue knew full well that Yun Rui and Yun Jin were still young; there was no way they could have climbed up to the fourth floor on their own, and their older sister and mother-in-law certainly wouldn’t have let them go upstairs to play alone.

As expected, one of them was definitely behind the bedroom door.

Immediately, Jiang Xue hurriedly pushed Li Yi aside, then, while getting dressed, called out toward the door, “Hang on a second, sweethearts. Mommy’ll open the door for you right away…”

Watching Jiang Xue frantically get dressed, Li Yi couldn’t help but let a smile slip onto his face.

Jiang Xue noticed that Li Yi wasn’t rushing to get dressed; instead, he was leaning against the headboard, watching her with a mischievous grin.

“What are you spacing out for? Hurry up and get dressed!”

“What’s the rush?”

Despite this, Li Yi still grabbed a shirt lying nearby and slipped it on!

Soon, Jiang Xue had finished getting dressed and hurried to the door, opening the bedroom door.

The moment the door swung open, Jiang Xue saw her two little darlings standing there, each holding a small milk bottle.

However, judging by the color of the liquid inside, it didn’t look like formula or milk—it was probably just plain warm water.

The moment they saw Jiang Xue, the two children immediately ran over and kept asking to be picked up.

It wasn’t until Jiang Xue had picked up both children that she noticed Juanzi standing nearby; clearly, it was this girl who had brought the two little ones upstairs.

“Sister Xue, Yunrui and Yunjin were clamoring to see you, so Auntie told me to bring them up!”

Jiang Xue smiled and said, “Alright, go downstairs and tell my mom we’ll be right down after we wash our faces!”

“Okay. Oh, and Sister Xue, Sister Chen and Xiao Min are here—they’re waiting downstairs!” Juanzi added.

Jiang Xue knew that the “Sister Chen” Juanzi was referring to was Chen Chuhong, so she immediately replied, “Alright, tell Sister Ah Hong to wait a moment!”

“Okay…”

When Li Yi and Jiang Xue came downstairs holding the children, they indeed saw Chen Chuhong chatting with her mother-in-law in the living room, while their eldest sister watched her eldest nephew, Yang Rui, and little Huang Min playing nearby.

The two little ones—one speaking Cantonese, the other the local dialect of Qingshan County—couldn’t understand a word each other said, yet they were still having a great time.

So much so that as soon as they came downstairs, the son in Li Yi’s arms began squirming to get down.

As soon as Li Yi set him down, the little guy waddled over on his stubby legs toward where Xiao Ruirui and Xiao Huangmin were playing.

Seeing this, Yunjin, in Jiang Xue’s arms, didn’t want to be left behind and tried to follow…

After bringing the two little ones over, Li Yi finally led Jiang Xue to Chen Chuhong.

“Sis-in-law, sorry to keep you waiting!” Jiang Xue said, looking a bit embarrassed.

“It’s okay, I just got here a moment ago!” Chen Chuhong said with a smile.

Li Yi glanced outside. Not seeing Huang Lixing, he asked, “Where’s Brother Huang? I don’t see him.”

“He went to the security company this morning. He asked me to tell you that if you don’t have anything else to do, you should swing by sometime!” Chen Chuhong said.

“Sure!”

Chen Chuhong then turned to Jiang Xue and said, “Little Xue, let me take you shopping this morning. We’ll buy the kids some summer clothes!”

“Sure, I’ll go along with whatever you say, Sister-in-law!” Jiang Xue replied readily.

“By the way, there’s a socialite gathering at the Luo family’s tonight. Mrs. Luo called me and wants to invite you along. Are you interested?” Chen Chuhong added.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Xue didn’t rush to answer but instead looked over at Li Yi.

Li Yi smiled and said, “If you don’t have anything else going on, you should go. Since you’ll be living here, you’ll be attending plenty of these gatherings in the future!”

“Are… are you going?” Jiang Xue asked.

“These socialite gatherings are mostly women’s affairs, so I won’t be attending. But I’ll come pick you up when the time comes!” Li Yi said.

“Alright, then!”

Concerned for the safety of his wife and children, Li Yi immediately turned to Zhou Wen beside him and said, “Wen, go home and bring a squad to follow Xue and the others. You must ensure their safety at all costs!”

“Yes, I’ll make sure the job gets done!” Zhou Wen said with a serious expression.

Then, Li Yi glanced at his watch and said to Jiang Xue, “I’ve got some things to take care of at the office today. I’ll head over there first, but I’ll join you all for lunch!”

“Alright!”

After saying a few words to his mother-in-law and older sister, Li Yi left Cloud Peak No. 1 with Zhang Ziqiang, Yang Zhiwen, Xiao Wu, and the others.

………

Starlight Tower. Company Headquarters!

No sooner had Li Yi arrived at his office and sat down than Li Yunbao knocked and walked in.

“Brother Yi, we’ve got new news from London!”

“Oh, what’s the news?”

Li Yunbao immediately replied, “Sandy sent a telegram saying that the Sassoon family has approached numerous high-ranking officials in the Empire, trying to persuade the courts to extradite 19 suspects—including Gusta—back to London for trial. To that end, they’ve also been using the media to build momentum.”

“But Sandy’s father, Old Henry, beat them to it by leaking the story of Gusta and the others hiring hitmen through the media. As a result, this caused a huge uproar in the British Empire itself, and their extradition plan has faced opposition from many in both political and business circles, forcing them to shelve it!”

Li Yi nodded and said, “Suspending it means the plan has already failed. Tell your old man to put pressure on the Governor’s office and demand they initiate the trial proceedings as soon as possible.”

“As soon as the trial proceedings begin here, the Sassoon family will have to make a choice: either agree to his terms or abandon Gusta and continue to fight to the bitter end.”

“Alright, I’ll tell my old man!”

Then Li Yunbao added, “Brother Yi, Sandy also mentioned in his telegram that the delivery of our 20 million tons of hot-rolled steel has been fully completed, totaling 6.82 billion pounds. He asked how that money should be handled.”

Li Yi thought for a moment and said, “Don’t reply to him just yet. Contact your old man immediately and have him convene all members of the Chamber of Commerce for a meeting at the company headquarters this afternoon. I have important matters to discuss with them!”

“Okay…”

Just as they were speaking, a series of urgent knocks suddenly sounded at the door, and Lan Xinming pushed the door open and walked in.

Upon reaching Li Yi, Lan Xinming immediately reported, “Boss, Dolsen is here. He says he wants to see you!”

Li Yi’s lips curled slightly upward, and he said, “Hmm, let him in.”

“Yes…”

……….

Tai Ping Shan. Cloud Peak No. 1!

In the luxurious bedroom on the fourth floor, a fierce battle had just come to an end.

On the soft, plush bed, Li Yi leaned against the headboard, panting heavily.

Jiang Xue, meanwhile, rested her head against his chest, her entire body nestled in Li Yi’s embrace, her face still radiating the afterglow of passion.

After a moment, Li Yi ran his fingers through his wife’s hair and asked, “Xiao Xue, you’ve worked so hard lately!”

Jiang Xue smiled and replied tenderly, “With Mom and my older sister helping out, and Zhang Feng and Yang Miao here too, I haven’t had it hard at all!”

“It’s you who’s been running around for our family—you’re the one who’s been working hard!”

“I’m fine, too. Aside from missing you a little, everything else is just fine!” Li Yi said with a smile.

Hearing this, Jiang Xue felt a sweet warmth in her heart.

“By the way, I haven’t had a chance to ask yet—is everything okay back home?”

Jiang Xue looked at him and asked, “Are you asking about back home, or here in the capital?”

“I want to know about both!” Li Yi said.

“Let’s start with the village. Back in June, Sister Na and I took some time off to visit our hometown, and it felt like a lot had changed!” Jiang Xue said.

“What kind of changes?”

“The household contract responsibility system has now been fully implemented throughout Qing Shan County. Except for our village, Nianzi Mountain, all the production teams in the county have been dissolved. Now the farmers cultivate their own land and pay their own agricultural taxes—they’re really motivated!”

Jiang Xue continued, “Although our village of Nianzishan hasn’t yet distributed land, the villagers are just as motivated. The village has expanded its livestock operations—even that patch of rocky land next to our house has been turned into a farm. According to Secretary Feng, the village now has over 1,200 head of cattle and more than 3,000 sheep.”

“Also, the village plans to raise 2,000 chickens and 300 pigs this year. If that works out, the profits will be substantial!”

Li Yi nodded with satisfaction; he could picture the village’s current vibrant growth.

“How are Mom and Dad doing?”

“They’re doing just fine. When Sister Na and I went back this time, we took Mom and Dad to the county hospital for a checkup, and the doctor said they’re in good health.”

Jiang Xue continued, “But the doctors in our county aren’t very skilled. Once things calm down in the winter, we’ll bring Mom and Dad to Beijing for a thorough checkup!”

“Sounds good!”

Li Yi then asked, “Did you see Xiaogouwa, Xiao Jing, and the others when you went back? How are they doing?”

“We did. They’re all doing well, and Little Gouwa is about to get married!” Jiang Xue said with a smile.

“Really? How old is he?”

But upon reflection, he understood. Although Xiaogouwa was only 17, that was the custom in the village these days; it wasn’t uncommon for teenagers who didn’t go to school to get married.

Li Yi then asked again, “Did you meet Xiaogouwa’s fiancée? What’s she like?”

He knew the situation at Xiaogouwa’s house—besides Erdouzi, there were two younger sisters.

A family like that really needed a kind-hearted, open-minded woman to run the household. If they ended up with a sharp-tongued, sharp-nosed woman, that would be quite a sight to see!

“We haven’t met her, but we’ve heard she’s a nice girl. Apparently, her father is a veterinarian. Xiaogouwa used to go there often to ask him for advice, and over time, she took a liking to him!” Jiang Xue said.

“Heh, so it’s a love match after all!” Li Yi said with a smile.

“That’s right. Mom said the girl’s parents are really nice people, and they’re very supportive of her choice!”

“That’s good to hear!”

At that moment, Jiang Xue spoke up again: “That’s about all the news from the village—nothing much to report. But quite a few things have happened in the capital that are closely related to you!”

“Oh, what’s been going on?”

“Our cold storage facility is finished. My third brother-in-law transferred Liu San there to be the manager. Now the cold storage not only stores our own beef and lamb but also takes on outside business. I hear it’s quite profitable!”

Jiang Xue continued, “Also, thanks to Third Sister and her husband’s planning, we’ve opened two more branches in the capital. Now we have five branches of our barbecue and hot pot restaurant there, and Second Brother-in-Law has been promoted to store manager.”

“A couple of days ago, Sister Na came by and gave me a little over 280,000 yuan—she said it was the restaurant’s profit. I’ve put the money in the bank!”

Li Yi nodded and asked, “Didn’t Third Sister’s husband go to Pengcheng?”

“He did, but he’s only been there a short while!” Jiang Xue replied.

“Hmm, as long as he’s there, that’s fine!”

Then Li Yi asked again, “Anything else?”

“You know what? Feng Qian and Liu San are dating. They’re probably going to get married by the end of the year!” Jiang Xue said again.

Li Yi smiled and said, “That’s actually a bit surprising—I never thought Feng Qian would have her eye on Liu San!”

“I think Liu San’s not bad at all. He’s already been promoted to branch manager, and he makes at least several thousand yuan a month—that’s equivalent to what others earn in several years. It’s only natural that Xiao Qian would be interested in him!” Jiang Xue said.

“You’re right. Anything else?” Li Yi asked again.

“Yes. The color TV production line at the Yanjing TV Factory has been installed, and the first batch of TVs has rolled off the assembly line. Half a month ago, Factory Director Sun personally delivered two of them to our house!”

Jiang Xue continued, “I kept one at home, and since I saw that Third Sister-in-Law (Zhang Xinyao) was getting a bit bored staying home all day, I sent the other one over to Third Brother’s place. You don’t mind, do you?”

Li Yi smiled and said, “What’s there to mind? One is enough for our family; having more would just be a waste.”

“You’re so sweet!” Jiang Xue said, her face beaming with happiness. banbanhaobang

“Never mind them. You’ve been interning at the branch office lately—how’s it going?” Li Yi asked.

“It’s been great. I’ve learned a lot, but…”

“But what?”

“It’s just that the accounting rules I’ve learned seem completely different from the ones they use at the branch. Their financial system is much more robust and detailed, making settlements faster and more convenient—and less prone to errors!” Jiang Xue said.

“Hmm, the branch office uses international accounting settlement standards, so naturally, they’re more in line with international practices. That’s exactly why I sent you there for your internship!” Li Yi said.

“By the way, I heard a lot about you from Manager Lan. I’d like to learn about investing from you. Is that okay?” Jiang Xue asked earnestly.

“Why the sudden interest in investing?” Li Yi asked with a smile.

“It’s not that I want to learn about investing—I just want to see how you dominate the stock market!”

Jiang Xue continued, “You have no idea—when Manager Lan and Manager Bingyan talk about working on investments with you, they’re absolutely beaming. I want to see for myself what you’re really like when you’re investing!”

As soon as he heard this, Li Yi knew his little wife was getting jealous. He immediately laughed and said, “Where’s all this sourness coming from?”

Jiang Xue shot him a look and said, “I’m not jealous. I just feel a little regretful that I’ve never seen you in your glory moments with my own eyes!”

Li Yi chuckled and said, “What ‘glorious moments’? Weren’t you right by my side during my finest hours?”

“Huh? I don’t remember that,” Jiang Xue asked, looking puzzled.

“Hahaha, you’ll find out very soon!”

With that, Li Yi suddenly rolled over, pinning Jiang Xue beneath him.

Then, gently nibbling on his wife’s sensitive earlobe, he whispered, “My finest moments are every time I’m with you…”

Jiang Xue instantly blushed and said in a playful, reproachful tone, “Don’t say it… don’t say it!”

Seeing that Li Yi had no intention of stopping, Jiang Xue instantly decided to “silence” him.

She wrapped her two slender, white arms around Li Yi’s neck, tilted her head back, and with a slight curve of her lips, pressed them firmly against his.

Feeling his wife’s “provocation,” Li Yi could no longer hold back. He sprang into action like a dragon, launching into a second round of passion!

In an instant, the bedroom was filled with cries of passion, the battle raging with intense fervor…

………

The night passed without incident!

Early the next morning, Li Yi woke up with a belly full of resentment and began making arrangements to head to Hong Kong.

After all, absence makes the heart grow fonder, and Li Yi had already prepared himself for some “fun.”

But when it came time to sleep that night, he realized his in-laws’ place was simply too small—it only had three bedrooms.

With the male and female bodyguards and several children included, there were a full 15 people in the household—far too many to fit.

Left with no choice, Jiang Xue and her mother-in-law had to take the master bedroom on the second floor with the two children, while the eldest sister, Juanzi, Zhang Feng, Yang Miao, and her eldest nephew Ruirui shared the second bedroom on the second floor.

As for Li Yi, he had no choice but to share a bedroom on the first floor with his father-in-law and Jiang Longyin. Zhang Ziqiang, Zhou Wen, Yang Zhiwen, and Xiao Wu fared even worse—they had to sleep in the living room on the first floor.

As a result, Li Yi’s plan to “get some action” was completely ruined.

Frustrated, he immediately decided to head to Hong Kong Island to stay at his own mansion, and then…

Soon, Zhang Ziqiang and Zhou Wen had everything arranged.

After breakfast, Zhou Rui arrived with several Jeeps and escorted Li Yi and his entire family to Lotus Pier.

Boarding and the voyage went smoothly—no typhoons or rough seas. They set sail just after nine o’clock, and the ship arrived in Victoria Harbour before ten.

As soon as they stepped off the pier, Li Yi saw Huang Lixing waiting for them at the exit, with Chen Chuhong and Huang Min standing beside him.

Upon seeing Li Yi’s family emerge, Huang Lixing immediately came over to greet them.

After a brief exchange of greetings, the group boarded the Huang family’s motorcade and headed for Cloudtop No. 1.

Upon returning to Cloudtop No. 1 and settling their luggage, Huang Lixing mentioned that Chen Chuhong had arranged a luncheon at the Mid-Levels villa to welcome Li Yi’s family.

Li Yi didn’t refuse the invitation and promptly took his family to the Huang family’s villa on the hillside.

Once they arrived, Li Yi realized that Li Futiao and Li Yunbao were also present.

Since there was still some time before the banquet began, Huang Lixing asked Chen Chuhong to keep Jiang Xue and the others company, while he took Li Yi and the Li Fuzhao father-son duo to the small reception room on the second floor.

After they had taken their seats, Huang Lixing spoke first: “Brother Li Yi, you left Hong Kong right after finishing your work yesterday, but there are still some matters that require your decision!”

“What’s the matter?”

“In this operation, aside from taking out a few hundred of those monkeys, we also captured several hundred prisoners. Captain Yan and the others don’t know how to handle them, so they’ve come to me for advice!” Huang Lixing explained.

Li Yi furrowed his brow and asked, “Old Huang, how do you usually handle triad prisoners?”

Huang Lixing replied immediately, “The ones we’ve encountered before were all locals—at the very least, Chinese. Usually, we just take out the die-hard leaders, recruit the foot soldiers, and take those who refuse to join out to international waters to dispose of them!”

“But most of the prisoners this time are South Vietnamese monkeys. They’ll never work for us, and we can’t recruit them either, so I have no idea what to do with them!”

Li Yi thought for a moment and said, “Killing them all is definitely out of the question, but letting them go isn’t good either—that would cause those gangs to lose their respect for us.”

“Here’s what we’ll do: eliminate all the leaders who’ve been deeply colluding with those Western devils, then select a few from the remaining foot soldiers, prop them up, and let them continue managing the South Monkey Gang!”

Huang Lixing frowned and said, “So we’re just letting them off the hook?”

“No way!”

Li Yi continued, “Count how many of them there are. Make them sign IOUs for 100,000 Hong Kong dollars each, and have them pay it back within a year.”

Hearing this, Huang Lixing burst out laughing. “Brilliant! Brother Li Yi, that’s a brilliant plan. How did I not think of that?”

Li Futao and his son were equally filled with surprise and admiration; this plan was indeed brilliant.

It avoided a bloodbath, dealt a severe punishment to those monkeys from the Banbanhaobang gang, and even made money—killing three birds with one stone.

Li Yi smiled and said, “That’s because you’ve already stepped out of that underworld quagmire and don’t want to handle this matter by the underworld’s rules. Otherwise, to you, those people would be nothing more than a few hundred sacks in the open sea!”

Huang Lixing nodded. “That’s true. In the past, when faced with something like this, I would’ve most likely wiped them all out and taken over their territory. But this time, I didn’t do that—I didn’t even think about it!”

“Heh, that’s a good thing!” Li Yi said.

“Hmm, right. We also seized a massive amount of cash, goods, and assets from those monkeys this time. How should we handle that?” Huang Lixing asked again.

“How much?”

Huang Lixing replied immediately, “As for the money, there’s roughly seventy million. Two million of that was given to them by those foreigners—they hadn’t even had a chance to split it up before it fell into our hands.”

“Then there’s a portion of gold, jewelry, and accessories, along with some houses, storefronts, and cars. The rest consists of five small casinos, twelve mahjong parlors, two hotels, and over a dozen hair salons running prostitution rings!”

Li Yi thought for a moment, then said, “Keep all the money, gold, and jewelry. Once it’s all converted to cash, inject half into the company as development funds, and distribute the other half among the brothers who participated in this operation. From now on, no matter what operation we undertake, the spoils will be divided according to this rule!”

“Alright, but what about the remaining businesses? Should we also—”

Before Huang Lixing could finish his sentence, Li Yi cut him off: “No need. Return all those businesses to the South Monkey Gang. After all, if we don’t give them these assets, how are they supposed to make money for us?”

“Alright, let’s handle it just as you said!” Huang Lixing replied.

“Alright…”

At that moment, Li Futiao spoke up: “Brother Li Yi, my eldest and second brothers came to see me yesterday, asking me to plead for mercy on their behalf with those foreigners.”

“I know those bastards deserve to die a thousand deaths, and you certainly won’t let them off easily, so I didn’t want to get involved in this. But the terms they’ve offered are very generous, so I felt I should still bring it up with you. As for whether to agree to their request, that’s your decision!”

Li Yi nodded and said, “Alright, I’d like to hear exactly what terms those foreigners have offered!”

“The Sassoon family approached my eldest brother, saying they’re willing to pay 2 billion Hong Kong dollars to have your past forgiven…”

Before he could finish, Li Yi said in a deep voice, “Pipe dream. It’s not even two hundred million pounds—how dare the Sassoon family even bring that up!”

Li Futao nodded and continued, “The Henry family approached my second older brother. They said the family had no knowledge of Henry’s actions, and that Henry was merely an accomplice in this matter, so they hope Brother Li Yi will show mercy.”

“Is that all?”

“Oh, right. My second brother also said that if Brother Li Yi is willing to let Henry off the hook, the Henry family is willing to compensate you with 200 million Hong Kong dollars, plus the Henry family’s friendship!” Li Futiao said.

Li Yi’s lips curled slightly as he sneered, “Old Li, tell those foreigners for me that I’m not interested in the Henry family’s friendship. If they want me to let Henry off the hook, don’t even bother offering less than a billion!”

“Alright!”

Li Futao continued, “Also, we’ve received a telegram from London stating that representatives of the Sassoon family have arrived there to facilitate the extradition of Gusta and the others back to the United Kingdom for trial, and many political figures have come forward to express their support.”

“Hmph, they want to go back to stand trial? No way!”

Li Yi continued, “Yunbao, get in touch with Sandy and have their family pull some strings. We absolutely cannot let London get involved in this!”

“Alright, I’ll send a telegram to Sandy in a moment!” Li Yunbao replied.

“Alright, then I’ll put some pressure on the Governor’s Office. If they dare let Gusta go back, it’s time for a new governor!” Li Yi said coldly.

Hearing Li Yi’s domineering words, everyone in the room was slightly taken aback.

Although they didn’t know when Li Yi had become the one calling the shots at the British Government House, they knew he wasn’t joking when he said that.

Just as everyone’s thoughts were running wild, a series of “knock-knock-knock” sounds came from outside the door, followed by Chen Chuhong’s voice: “Dinner’s ready!”

Huang Lixing immediately said, “All right, we’ll be right down!”

He then urged everyone to hurry downstairs…

……….