Chapter 475: A Piece of News!

Nothing happened overnight!

The next morning, Li Yi woke up in a comfortable, plush bed!

After a quick shower, he got dressed and went to the living room.

Lan Xinyi and the others were already up, waiting anxiously for Li Yi in the living room.

Since they had been completely cut off from the outside world from yesterday afternoon until now, they had no idea whether the Hang Seng Index had risen or fallen, so everyone looked anxious.

When they saw Li Yi coming downstairs, everyone stood up immediately, and all eyes turned to him.

“Good morning, everyone!”

Hearing Li Yi’s words, everyone—including Lan Xinyi—felt a bit speechless.

It was already 8:30—hardly “good morning.”

Especially for those of them working in financial services, time is money.

On a typical trading day, they would rush to the exchange early in the morning and continuously gather various data—the very information they relied on to make investment decisions.

Therefore, even though the stock exchange didn’t open until 9:30, most people actually had to be at the office by 7:00.

In short, it was a grueling schedule!

“Mr. Li, should we head to the office now?” Lan Xinyi asked.

“No rush. In finance, you have to keep your cool first!”

Then, Li Yi turned to Tie Ying beside him and said, “Send someone to buy a few copies of the newspaper!”

Tie Ying knew that Li Yi was a friend the boss had invited from the mainland, so he asked directly, “We have the *Oriental Daily*, *Sing Tao Daily*, and *South China Morning Post*, among others. Which one would you like?”

“Whatever newspapers they have, bring me one of each!”

“Yes, sir!”

Seeing that Li Yi had actually sent his subordinate to buy newspapers, Lan Xinyi and the others were utterly stunned.

In finance, you need to keep your cool, but no one takes it to this extreme.

By the time those people returned with the papers and he finished reading them, the stock exchange would have already opened.

And as traders and portfolio managers, they hadn’t gathered a single piece of information—how were they supposed to proceed with their work?

Yet Li Yi remained as calm as ever. Not only was he in no hurry, but he even had breakfast prepared for everyone.

He then proceeded to eat his breakfast at a leisurely pace while waiting for Iron Eagle’s men to return.

Just as Li Yi finished his breakfast, the henchman Tie Ying had sent out to buy newspapers returned, carrying a thick stack of papers.

“Mr. Li, here are the newspapers you requested!”

“Thanks!”

With that, Li Yi took the newspapers and began reading them, all while Lan Xinyi and the others watched with anxious expressions.

However, when Li Yi received the newspapers, which were arranged in a vertical format, he found it somewhat unfamiliar.

More importantly, the first thing he saw upon opening the paper wasn’t the content he was looking for, but a gossip column—specifically, a sensational report on the “Fox Spirit Murder Case” at Windsor Tower.

Flipping through the pages, he found nothing but celebrity gossip. Only then did Li Yi realize he was reading a local tabloid.

Shaking his head, he tossed the useless tabloid aside and turned his attention to the other newspapers.

Good grief, more than half of the dozen or so newspapers were gossip tabloids.

Fortunately, his henchman wasn’t stupid; he’d bought every major mainstream newspaper in Hong Kong Island.

Picking up Hong Kong’s renowned *Oriental Daily*, Li Yi quickly found the news he was looking for: “The Hong Kong Association of Banks announced that the savings deposit interest rate will increase from 11% to 12% on July 21…”

Subsequently, Li Yi saw the same news in the *Sing Tao Daily* and the *South China Morning Post*.

After reading through them, he felt confident!

Everything was exactly as he remembered; his arrival hadn’t caused any changes.

“Mr. Li, the stock exchange has already opened. Shouldn’t we head over there?” Lan Xinyi asked again.

Li Yi smiled and said, “What for?”

“Um…”

Lan Xinyi and the others were stumped again. Boss, yesterday you invested 42 million in the stock market… no… wait, that should be 200 million!

And you bought nothing but Hang Seng Futures Index contracts—shouldn’t you go check on them?

Just as Lan Xinyi and the others were at a loss for words, Li Yi handed her the newspaper he was holding and said, “Take a look.”

With a hint of confusion, Lan Xinyi took the newspaper from Li Yi.

The moment she saw the headline, she froze in place.

The bank raised interest rates?

As a professional trader, Lan Xinyi was well aware of the impact a bank rate hike would have on the stock market.

Once banks raise interest rates, deposit rates go up, and naturally, fewer people are willing to invest in the stock market.

More importantly, major companies are currently borrowing money to conduct business—especially to speculate in real estate. A bank rate hike would have a massive impact on the property market.

Under these circumstances, a stock market decline was inevitable—the only question was how much it would fall.

At that moment, Lan Xinyi’s gaze toward Li Yi changed.

No wonder he dared to short the Hang Seng Index with a 5x leverage position—it turns out he wasn’t ignorant, but simply had a unique insight.

“Mr. Li, a bank rate hike will likely cause the Hang Seng Index to fall. Should we keep an eye on it? If the price is right, we could place a sell order right away?”

Li Yi replied calmly, “No need. Let the dust settle for a while!”

With that, he paid no further attention to Lan Xinyi and the others, turning and heading straight back upstairs without a second glance, leaving Lan Xinyi and the others on the first floor staring at each other in bewilderment.

No one knew how to react to Li Yi’s behavior—he was being way too cocky!

You’re trading futures indices here—unlike stocks, these aren’t meant to be held long-term; their prices can fluctuate in a matter of minutes.

It might be at a high right now, hit a low in ten minutes, and then be back at a high an hour later.

Making money depends on these split-second fluctuations, not on holding for the long term!

But Li Yi couldn’t care less about their opinions; he didn’t even have the patience to listen to their advice and just walked off. Everyone was completely speechless.

But was Li Yi really being overconfident?

Of course not. Li Yi understood the causes and consequences of Hong Kong’s stock market crash better than anyone. The current Hong Kong stock market was exactly like the “Little Day Pot Chicken” of ten years later—the frenzy over high market capitalizations was entirely built on a real estate bubble.

Driven by optimistic prospects, land prices in Hong Kong Island had been rising steadily, sparking a fierce competition among conglomerates to acquire listed companies holding land.

At the same time, a frenzy of property speculation had swept the market. According to later calculations, the mortgage burden ratio for current property prices had reached a staggering 180%—in other words, it took nearly double one’s income just to make the mortgage payments.

This interest rate hike did not appear to be significant—a mere 1 percentage point—but it was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

It directly caused the already overburdened property market bubble to burst instantly, and so, on the morning of July 17, the Hang Seng Index began to fall.

Most importantly, this decline was not the usual up-and-down fluctuation, but a relentless plunge all the way to the bottom!

Therefore, before the Hang Seng Index’s first major rebound, Li Yi had absolutely no need to constantly monitor stock market fluctuations!

……….

Far East Club. VIP Lounge!

Listening to her brother report the latest Hang Seng Index points, Lan Xinyi’s face grew grave, and her gaze toward Li Yi was filled with concern.

Making money on the Hang Seng Index mainly depends on the index’s price movements, with each point representing a gain of 50 Hong Kong dollars.

Take Li Yi’s short selling strategy, for example: for every point the Hang Seng Index drops, he earns 50 Hong Kong dollars per contract.

Conversely, when the Hang Seng Index rose by one point, he would lose 50 Hong Kong dollars.

He currently holds a total of 11,600 contract lots, meaning that for every point the Hang Seng Index rises or falls, he stands to gain or lose 580,000 Hong Kong dollars.

And just moments ago, due to their massive buying of the Hang Seng Index, the index had risen by 8 points in less than half an hour.

In other words, in just half an hour, Li Yi lost 4.64 million Hong Kong dollars, and this trend is still accelerating.

According to exchange regulations, if the loss reaches the margin requirement, the position must be forcibly liquidated.

In other words, if the Hang Seng Index rose by just 72.4 points, Li Yi’s account would be liquidated, and his entire 42 million investment would be lost.

Now it wasn’t just Lan Xinyi and the others who were on edge; Tie Ying, Bin Zai, and the rest were equally on the edge of their seats.

Don’t let their backgrounds as underworld figures fool you—they actually know a thing or two about the stock market, having been seasoned investors for years.

Li Yi, on the other hand, remained completely unfazed, as calm as ever.

After a long silence, Lan Xinyi finally couldn’t hold back any longer and said, “Mr. Li, the time is up. Should we continue trading or cut our losses?”

At that moment, everyone’s gaze fixed on Li Yi, waiting for his decision.

Li Yi knew exactly what Lan Xinyi meant by “canceling the trade.”

Since stock trading back then wasn’t as regulated as it would be in later years, his trading method still relied on manual record-keeping. A clerk would first record each transaction, and the trade and settlement would be finalized later, with the stipulation that all transactions had to be completed within 48 hours.

Precisely because of this, it gave many speculators the opportunity to engage in short selling. For example, in the Hong Kong drama *The Great Era*, Chen Wanxian relied on such tactics to repeatedly fleece the small investors in the stock market.

If Li Yi were to default on his order now, he would indeed lose some funds, but compared to a loss of millions, it would still be significantly less.

Li Yi cast a casual glance at Lan Xinyi and said, “If I default on the trade, wouldn’t that damage your team’s reputation?”

“Yes, but compared to the client’s interests, our team’s reputation is of no consequence!” Lan Xinyi replied.

“Haha, no need. Execute the trade immediately!” Li Yi said decisively.

“Yes!”

Soon, under the supervision of Tie Ying and the others, Lan Xinyi and her team completed the trade of these 11,600 futures contracts.

“Mr. Li, what should we do now? Wait to sell, or…”

“Let’s call it a day and go home!” Li Yi said.

“C-call it a day?”

Lan Xinyi, Lan Xinming, Tie Ying, and the others were all baffled by Li Yi’s move; there were still more than two hours left before the exchange closed.

Moreover, the Hang Seng Index required constant monitoring of market fluctuations, and orders could be placed at any time—what kind of move was this, going home now?

Li Yi, however, couldn’t care less about what Lan Xinyi and the others were thinking. He turned directly to Tie Ying and said, “Take Miss Lan and the others back to the Mid-Levels villa. Without my orders, none of them are allowed to leave, nor are they allowed to call anyone!”

“Yes, sir!”

With that, the group left the Far East Club in a grand procession!

………

Wan Chai Pier. Qinglong Society Headquarters!

Huang Lixing had already received a report from his subordinates. Upon learning of Li Yi’s actions today, he fell deep into thought.

After a long while, he looked at the head of his bodyguards standing nearby and said, “Ah Biao, what do you think of this?”

Ah Biao remained silent for a moment before replying, “Big Brother, I trust Mr. Li!”

A-Biao is not only Huang Lixing’s most trusted head of security, but also one of the few confidants who witnessed last year’s incident.

Compared to Tie Ying, Bin Zai, and the others, he understands Li Yi better and believes there must be a good reason for him to act this way.

Huang Lixing nodded and said, “That’s right. Brother Li Yi didn’t misjudge you!”

Hearing this, Ah Biao froze, then looked at Huang Lixing with a puzzled expression.

“After what happened last year, I actually began to doubt the entire bodyguard team. After all, Ah Long had been with me for quite some time, yet he tried to take my life!”

Huang Lixing continued, “But Brother Li Yi told me you were someone I could trust, so I replaced everyone else—but I kept you.”

“Thank you, Big Brother, and Brother Li, for your trust!” A-Biao said gratefully.

“Hmm. Pass the word: have Yuan’s place send a meal of the highest standard to Tai Ping Shan, and have them send a few bottles of top-grade red wine as well!” Huang Lixing said.

“Yes, sir!”

After Ah Biao turned and left, a faint smile appeared on Huang Lixing’s face, and his expression relaxed considerably.

In truth, he’d been on edge all day—after all, that was 37 million yuan!

After donating 5 million RMB, that was all the capital he had left to work with. If he were to lose it, it would truly be a devastating blow.

So, although he wasn’t physically at the stock exchange today, he had been keeping a close eye on the situation there the entire time.

Iron Eagle kept him updated on Li Yi’s every move.

When he learned that Li Yi had lost over 4 million Hong Kong dollars in just half an hour, he was genuinely concerned.

But when he learned that Li Yi had closed the trade without hesitation and had even taken his team straight back to the Mid-Levels villa, he actually felt reassured.

After all, anyone who dares to do something like that is either a fool or someone who knows exactly what they’re doing!

Li Yi was clearly no fool, so he must have been absolutely confident of victory.

That’s why he had Ah Biao order a meal for Li Yi and his group from the renowned Yuen’s Restaurant!

Li Yi was unaware of all this, and even if he had known, he wouldn’t have cared.

He was absolutely confident of success with this investment.

After all, he wasn’t dealing with the stock of a single company, but with the barometer of the entire Hong Kong stock market—the Hang Seng Index.

Unlike ordinary stocks, this was essentially beyond the control of any individual or company.

More importantly, he was about to experience Hong Kong’s first stock market crash of the 1980s—the 1981 crash.

Prior to this, the Hang Seng Index had broken out of a two-year trading range. Starting from its 1978 low of 383.4 points, it had surged 3.7-fold by July 1981, reaching 1,810.20 points.

However, as Sino-British negotiations over Hong Kong’s sovereignty reached an impasse, the Hang Seng Index was affected and plummeted sharply in a short period.

Starting from the opening on July 17, it plummeted by more than 300 points in a very short time. Although there was a slight rebound afterward, it soon crashed again.

By December 2, 1982, the Hang Seng Index had fallen to 676.30 points, a decline of 62.64% from its peak.

In addition, this stock market crash also affected the real estate industry, and land prices across Hong Kong Island plummeted.

At the time, a plot of industrial land in Kowloon Bay had been bid at HK$150 million before the crash, but after the crash, the price plummeted to HK$15 million—a 90% drop.

The decline in asset values plunged many companies that had snapped up land at high prices into crisis, leaving the entire Hong Kong Island in a state of despair.

Therefore, the Hang Seng Index’s plunge was inevitable; not even a divine being could save it.

The fluctuation of over ten points that afternoon was merely a normal rise caused by the massive influx of capital after they entered the market; it had absolutely no impact on Li Yi.

All he had to do now was wait—wait for the market to open tomorrow!

Hong Kong Island. Far East Club!

When Li Yi and his group arrived at the Far East Club, Zhang Qiusheng, Lan Xinyi, and the others were already waiting for them at the entrance.

Without much small talk, Li Yi led his group inside the Far East Club, following Zhang Qiusheng.

The Far East Club was not some triad organization, but a stock exchange—its full name being Far East DXMBang Stock Exchange Limited!

It was the first securities exchange founded by Chinese people and is currently one of the four major securities exchanges on Hong Kong Island.

Once inside the company’s conference room, both parties engaged in a thorough discussion regarding the terms of their partnership, after which they proceeded to sign the contract.

After signing the contract, Li Yi didn’t rush to deposit the funds into the account; instead, he first met with the members of Lan Xinyi’s team.

To Li Yi’s surprise, seven of the eight members of Lan Xinyi’s team were women, and the only man turned out to be Lan Xinyi’s own brother, Lan Xinming.

Li Yi once again reiterated the disciplinary requirements for the duration of the project to the entire team. He was well aware that people in the financial services industry, like them, could easily leak your investment plans if left unsupervised.

On the brighter side, these people were simply following the trend and investing on their own—something Li Yi didn’t object to. “I get the meat, you get the broth; no big deal.”

What he feared most was that if these people saw him dominating the stock market and secretly revealed his plans to their own bosses, that would be a major problem.

Therefore, when signing contracts with these individuals, a non-disclosure agreement was an absolute must.

But relying solely on a piece of paper won’t give you peace of mind; you also have to confiscate their communication devices and keep someone watching them closely at all times.

Until the mission is over, they can’t go anywhere.

Clearly, these people are aware of the situation; they all claim to be professionals who would never disclose a client’s investment plan.

After taking care of all that, it was already nearly noon.

Li Yi immediately led everyone out of the Far East Exchange to grab a bite to eat, planning to get to work right after dinner.

Since they were set to begin work in the afternoon, Li Yi took Lan Xinyi, Lan Xinming, and the others for a quick bite near the exchange, then returned to the exchange.

Once Lan Xinyi and the others were back in the exchange’s VIP lounge, Li Yi immediately summoned all the traders and began outlining his investment plan.

However, when Lan Xinyi and the others heard Li Yi’s plan, they were all stunned!

“Mr. Li, are you suggesting we short the Hang Seng Index—and with five times leverage?” Lan Xinyi asked, looking utterly shocked.

“Yes. Is there a problem?”

Hearing Li Yi’s retort, Lan Xinyi looked at him with an expression that was less shock and more like she was looking at a fool.

It’s not that you can’t short Hong Kong stocks, but shorting with 5x leverage is simply too reckless.

Before Lan Xinyi could speak, Lan Xinming, standing nearby, couldn’t help but interject, “Mr. Li, have you ever traded stocks before? Do you even know what shorting and going long mean?”

“Are you questioning what I said?” Li Yi replied coldly.

“No, but as the trader you hired, I have a duty to remind you: this isn’t how you play the stock market!” Lan Xinming said with a serious expression.

He truly hadn’t expected his employer to be this reckless. This wasn’t investing at all—it was essentially treating himself like a complete sucker.

After all, short selling is a form of derivatives trading, and derivatives are notoriously difficult to control—especially leveraged derivatives. One misstep could send him plummeting into an abyss.

“Thank you for the warning, but this is a one-time exception!”

Li Yi then turned to Lan Xinyi and said, “Miss Lan, as I’ve said before, no one is allowed to question my decisions throughout this process. I hope you and your team keep that firmly in mind!”

“Yes, Mr. Li. This is the last time!”

Clearly, Lan Xinyi understood her place far better than her brother did.

The client is an adult, investing their own money, and naturally must take responsibility for their own decisions.

On the contrary, people like them were merely tools; there was no need to overstep their bounds and make decisions on the employer’s behalf.

That said, she, like her brother, believed that Li Yi’s investment plan was nothing short of a high-stakes gamble with a very low probability of success—and that the tens of millions invested were likely to be lost entirely.

Short selling demands exceptional judgment from investors. When you predict a stock price will fall, you must borrow the corresponding shares from an institution in advance to sell them. Once the stock price drops as you anticipated, you buy them back at a lower price to return to the institution, and the resulting price difference is your profit.

Leverage, on the other hand, comes into play when you don’t have sufficient capital—or when you want to turn a small investment into a big return—and need to borrow money from a brokerage firm.

With 5x leverage, if you have 20 yuan in principal, the exchange lends you 80 yuan, allowing you to trade with 100 yuan to achieve five times the profit you would have otherwise earned.

Of course, the exchange isn’t a charity. Once your losses exceed 20 yuan (your margin), your entire position will be forcibly liquidated, leaving you with nothing.

Many people enter the market full of confidence, only to plunge headfirst into the abyss—and Li Yi is clearly one of them.

Li Yi could see right through Lan Xinyi and the others’ thoughts, but he didn’t care in the slightest.

“Since there’s no problem, let’s get started!” Li Yi said casually.

“Yes, Mr. Li!”

Lan Xinyi then immediately addressed the rest of the team: “Everyone, change into your uniforms right away. We’re ready to start!”

Upon hearing Lan Xinyi’s order, the rest of the team quickly changed into their uniform vests and got down to work.

At that time, Hong Kong Island still used a blackboard quotation system because there weren’t many listed companies.

Bids were written on the blackboard by floor representatives using chalk and displayed publicly; when a trade was confirmed, the seller would cross out the number. This crossed-out number represented the bidder’s seat number—the same number we see on the red vests worn by the people on the trading floor.

The vests were red to make them bright and eye-catching, making it easier for the recorders below to document each transaction, which would then be finalized and settled.

Because of this manual record-keeping system, all transactions are required to be completed within 48 hours—a process quite different from the standardized margin trading and short selling practices we see in today’s stock markets.

During peak trading hours, you’d see them lining up to write orders and pass notes—which is exactly why Li Yi hired these people in the first place.

With such a massive volume of trades, he simply couldn’t handle it all by himself!

As Lan Xinyi and her team got down to business, Li Yi immediately instructed Huang Lixing to transfer the entire 42 million yuan to the Far East Association, which backed Lan Xinyi, and then launched this massive, earth-shattering operation.

Once Lan Xinyi and her team confirmed the funds were in place, they immediately followed Li Yi’s instructions and used their accounts to “borrow” large quantities of Hang Seng Index futures.

The total price of a single Hang Seng Index futures contract is calculated as the latest Hang Seng Index point value multiplied by the contract multiplier of 50. With the Hang Seng Index currently at 1,810.2 points, the total price of one futures contract is 1,810.2 × 50, or 90,510 Hong Kong dollars.

Since futures trading operates on a margin system, investors are not required to pay the full amount; they only need to deposit 20% of the margin, or HK$18,102.

Li Yi has an investment principal of 42 million HKD. With 5x leverage, his available trading capital amounts to 210 million HKD.

Soon, under the direction of Lan Xinyi and her team, orders for 11,600 Hang Seng Index futures contracts were placed.

But what happened next sent Lan Xinyi and the others into a cold sweat, and everyone’s expressions turned grim!

Hong Kong Island. Mid-Levels Villa!

After seeing Zhang Qiusheng and Lan Xinyi off, Li Yi walked over to the large floor-to-ceiling windows.

Gazing at the faintly visible bay and the cityscape dotted with skyscrapers in the distance, Li Yi couldn’t help but feel a surge of emotion!

Not only because this was Hong Kong Island’s most famous affluent neighborhood, but also because this would be the true starting point of his business empire.

In Li Yi’s view, whether it was selling cold noodles or mushrooms in Qingshan County, or running a clothing business in Beijing, these were all just small-time ventures that fell far short of his ambitions.

But this trip to Hong Kong was different. If executed properly, he would not only make enough money but also gain benefits that no amount of money could buy.

Just as Li Yi’s heart was racing with excitement, the sound of footsteps suddenly echoed from outside!

Immediately afterward, the door was gently pushed open, and Huang Lixing walked in carrying a bottle of red wine.

Seeing Li Yi gazing at the scenery below, Huang Lixing smiled and said, “Not bad, is it?”

“Not bad!”

“Too bad we don’t have the means; otherwise, we could buy a luxury mansion on the Peak!” Huang Lixing said with a hint of regret.

On Hong Kong Island, so-called “mid-level” luxury homes primarily refer to developments around Victoria Peak below the “Fog Line.” These areas have long been the residential hub for the island’s elite and influential figures, making them an increasingly coveted “sacred ground.”

But for those with true power and influence, so-called Mid-Levels mansions are actually nothing special; living on the Peak is the true symbol of status and prestige.

Since Victoria Peak is the highest mountain on Hong Kong Island, standing at the summit offers a view of Victoria’s nightscape and a panoramic vista of the entire island.

Moreover, since Hong Kong Islanders place great importance on feng shui, and the Peak is considered a feng shui-blessed area—nestled against the mountains and beside the water—it has naturally become a place fiercely sought after by the wealthy!

Li Yi smiled and asked, “How much net worth does one need to qualify for a luxury home on the Peak?”

“No less than 500 million!”

“US dollars?”

Huang Lixing chuckled and said, “It doesn’t take that much—Hong Kong dollars will do!”

Currently, the exchange rate between the Hong Kong dollar and the US dollar is 5:1, so 150 million US dollars is equivalent to 2.5 billion Hong Kong dollars. At present, there are very few people on Hong Kong Island with a net worth of 150 million US dollars.

“That’s not much. Once this matter is settled, I’ll be able to move up to The Peak!” Li Yi said with a smile.

“Hahaha, then I’ll thank you in advance, brother!”

Judging by Huang Lixing’s reaction, Li Yi knew he wasn’t taking it seriously—he thought Li Yi was just joking.

But he didn’t bother explaining. There was no point in saying anything now; the truth would come out in a day or two.

Huang Lixing certainly didn’t take Li Yi’s words seriously either. After all, his current net worth was only two or three hundred million, meaning he’d need at least another two hundred million to even qualify for a luxury home on The Peak.

Although he knew Li Yi was capable, he didn’t believe he could rake in hundreds of millions from a single investment—that was simply impossible!

Unfortunately, he had no idea what kind of terrifying force stood before him.

Huang Lixing didn’t dwell on the matter any further; instead, he opened a bottle of red wine and poured a glass for both himself and Li Yi!

“Brother Li Yi, are you planning to enter the market tomorrow? Shouldn’t we wait and see for another couple of days?”

Li Yi swirled the wine in his glass and said casually, “There’s nothing left to observe. Besides, tomorrow will be the best opportunity to enter the market!”

He wasn’t worried about Huang Lixing suspecting anything. In Huang’s eyes, he was just a fortune-teller who could predict the future—someone capable of foretelling life and death. Predicting stock market fluctuations would be a piece of cake for him.

Besides, he’d already told him in advance that he had inside information—there was certainly no need to keep this under wraps.

“All right then, what do you need me to do?”

“You’ve got quite a bit to do. First, assign someone you absolutely trust to accompany me. They’ll need to protect my safety while keeping an eye on those traders at the Far East Club!” Li Yi said.

“Brother Li Yi, don’t you trust them?”

“Better safe than sorry. Besides, when absolute profit is on the line, you can’t really count on these people!” Li Yi said coolly.

“If that’s the case, I’ll have my men keep a close eye on their families!” Huang Lixing said.

It must be said that Huang Lixing, having risen from the docks, was indeed far more ruthless in his dealings than Li Yi.

At that moment, his true nature as a ruthless leader was on full display.

Li Yi paused briefly, then said, “Alright, but no matter what happens, try not to hurt anyone. After all, we’re here to make money!”

“Understood!”

“Next, use your connections to immediately set up a security firm and an investment company!”

“Got it!”

Huang Lixing didn’t ask Li Yi what the purpose of these two companies was; he simply agreed without hesitation.

Li Yi continued, “Also, until this investment is complete, don’t reveal my identity—not to anyone, whether in the underworld or the establishment!”

“I’ll do my best. After all, sometimes it’s not something I can control just by wanting to keep it under wraps, but I’ll try to find some trusted brothers to work with you on this!” Huang Lixing said frankly.

“Alright!”

After discussing a few more details to keep in mind, Huang Lixing finally sent Li Yi back to his room to rest.

As for himself, he set about making the necessary arrangements according to Li Yi’s instructions.

………..

The night passed without incident, and Li Yi woke up bright and early the next morning!

Thanks to the glass of red wine he’d had the night before, Li Yi slept soundly until dawn—it felt incredibly refreshing!

He got dressed, opened the window, and breathed in the moist, fresh air of the hillside.

He felt completely refreshed and full of energy!

Downstairs, Huang Lixing was already up and talking with a few of his subordinates.

Seeing Li Yi come downstairs, Huang Lixing immediately asked, “How did you sleep last night? Are you adjusting to the climate on Hong Kong Island?”

“I slept quite well, though it was a bit stuffy and hot—but I’ll get used to it!” Li Yi replied with a smile.

“That’s good!”

Huang Lixing then pointed to the two burly men standing beside him, their arms covered in tattoos, and said, “These are Tie Ying and Bin Zai—my most trusted brothers. From now on, each of them will lead a team of men under your command!”

Li Yi gave the two men a once-over. They were both incredibly burly, their bodies covered in tattoos and knife scars.

Add to that their black tank tops and baggy pants—the standard Hong Kong triad look.

“I need you to obey my orders unconditionally. Can you do that?” Li Yi said in a deep voice.

Tie Ying and Bin Zai were taken aback for a moment, then turned to look at Huang Lixing.

Without hesitation, Huang Lixing declared, “Brother Li Yi and I have been through life-and-death situations together. His word is my command—you must carry it out unconditionally!”

“Understood!”

Li Yi nodded in satisfaction, then said, “Now, take your men and immediately change into normal business attire. Get your hair cut into normal styles, and anyone who’s dyed their hair must dye it back to its natural color!”

Hearing this, Tie Ying and Bin Zai were both dumbfounded.

As guys on the streets, didn’t they all try to make themselves look as unique and menacing as possible? Otherwise, how could they intimidate people when they went out?

But this guy’s very first order was to make them change all that—wasn’t that just ridiculous!

For a moment, both of them were speechless!

Huang Lixing, standing nearby, knew Li Yi’s temperament well. He wasn’t the type to joke around, especially since he’d just specifically asked for their input and told them to obey his orders unconditionally.

Without hesitation, he spoke up: “What are you two standing there for? Didn’t you hear Brother Li Yi’s order?”

Tie Ying and Bin Zai hurriedly replied, “Yes, sir! We’ll take care of it right away!”

Li Yi glanced at his watch and said, “It’s eight o’clock now. I’m giving you two hours. We’ll meet at the Far East Club at ten!”

“Yes…”

………..

Hong Kong Island. Mid-Levels Villa!

In Huang Lixing’s reception room, Li Yi finally met with the securities firm’s representative and the trader.

There were three of them: two men and one woman!

After they met, Huang Lixing turned directly to Li Yi and said, “Brother, these are all members of the Far East Association. I have a very good relationship with their boss, and they’re all people you can trust!”

Li Yi suddenly asked, “Old Huang, are you referring to Chairman Li, the founder of the Far East Association?”

“Brother Li Yi, you know Chairman Li too?”

“I’ve heard of him!”

Who doesn’t know the first chairman of the Stock Exchange? It’s just that Chairman Li was born at the wrong time—just one year after taking office, he faced the October 1987 stock market crash.

At the time, his response was to announce a four-day market suspension. However, on the first day of trading after the suspension, the market plummeted by 30%, setting a record for the largest single-day drop at the time.

Left with no other choice, he resigned in November of the same year.

To make matters worse, two months later, he and several other senior exchange officials were arrested by the ICAC and charged with accepting shares from listed companies as kickbacks for facilitating their listings, resulting in a four-year prison sentence.

“Since Brother Li Yi knows Chairman Li, he must be aware of the power of his Far East Club!” Huang Lixing said.

Li Yi nodded, indicating he understood!

The Far East Club was the securities trading firm founded by Chairman Li before he became Chairman of the Stock Exchange; it is currently the largest and most powerful securities trading firm aside from Hang Seng, and its strength goes without saying.

It is also worth noting that Hang Seng, the Far East Exchange, the Gold and Silver Securities Exchange Limited (established at the initiative of the Board of Directors and Supervisors of the Gold and Silver Exchange), and the Kowloon Securities Exchange Limited were collectively known as the four major securities exchanges on Hong Kong Island.

It wasn’t until April 2, 1986, that these four exchanges merged to form the Hong Kong and Shanghai Stock Exchange.

Huang Lixing then turned to the two men and one woman standing beside him and said, “This is Mr. Li, a brother with whom I’ve shared life-and-death bonds. He’ll be discussing some matters with you shortly, and you must cooperate fully!”

“Yes, Mr. Huang!”

After saying this, Huang Lixing left the reception room, leaving the room entirely in Li Yi’s hands.

Li Yi looked at the three people in front of him and said, “Why don’t you all start by briefly introducing yourselves?”

The middle-aged, heavyset man spoke up immediately: “Hello, Mr. Li. I’m Zhang Qiusheng, Senior Manager at the Far East Club!”

“Hello, Mr. Li. My name is Lan Xinyi, a top-tier trader at the Far East Association!” said the only woman among the three.

“Hello, Mr. Li. My name is Zhang Jianxi, a top-tier trader at the Far East Club!”

Li Yi looked at the two star traders, then finally fixed his gaze on the female trader named Lan Xinyi.

“Miss Lan, you don’t look very old. Could you tell us about your track record?”

Knowing that Li Yi was Huang Lixing’s guest and brother, Lan Xinyi didn’t dare to be disrespectful and hurriedly replied, “Mr. Huang, I’ve been in the industry for five years. I’ve served as an investment advisor or portfolio manager for 1,987 clients, with a profit rate of 72%. I’m currently one of the top five traders at the Far East Club in terms of performance!”

“Additionally, my team currently consists of eight members, all of whom are experienced traders.”

Hearing that her profit rate was as high as 72%, Li Yi was somewhat taken aback.

This meant that out of every 100 people who followed her advice or entrusted their funds to her, 72 made a profit.

“Mr. Zhang, what about you?” Li Yi turned his gaze to the other trader.

“Mr. Li, I’ve been in the industry for nine years and have over 3,000 actual trading experiences under my belt, with a profit rate of 57%! My team consists of eight members, all of whom are highly capable.”

Hearing these two men’s track records, Li Yi couldn’t help but nod. Although the profit rates they mentioned differed from the investment returns discussed decades later, this did not negate their excellence.

In the securities market, their track records were indeed top-tier!

“If I were to hire both of you as my traders right now, what investment advice would you give me?” Li Yi asked again.

Zhang Jianxi replied immediately, “I would recommend specific stocks or futures based on the size of your investment!”

“What about you, Miss Lan?”

Lan Xinyi thought for a moment and said, “I have no suggestions. I’ll follow your instructions!”

“Clap, clap, clap!”

Li Yi clapped his hands and said, “Miss Lan, I’m very satisfied with your answer. From now on, you and your team are my traders. Mr. Zhang, you may go!”

Although Zhang Jianxi felt a bit resentful, he said nothing and simply turned and left.

Li Yi then turned to the middle-aged, heavyset man standing nearby.

“Manager Zhang, I’d like to know just how much authority you, as a senior manager, have. Is it worth my while to entrust this deal to your company?”

Zhang Qiusheng hurriedly asked, “I wonder how much capital you plan to invest?”

“No less than 40 million Hong Kong dollars!”

Upon hearing this, both Zhang Qiusheng and Lan Xinyi, standing nearby, couldn’t help but swallow hard.

Forty million Hong Kong dollars—that was an astronomical sum.

Even though they dealt with securities on a daily basis, they rarely encountered such a massive sum.

“Mr. Li, what exactly do you mean by ‘authority’?”

“Leverage!” Li Yi uttered the two words matter-of-factly.

Zhang Qiusheng immediately understood: Li Yi intended to use leverage for venture capital investments, and the amount of leverage he could offer depended on the client’s account management authority.

“Three… no, five times. That’s the highest leverage I can offer!”

Li Yi thought for a moment. Combined, his and Huang Lixing’s funds totaled roughly 42 million. With 5x leverage, that would mean over 200 million Hong Kong dollars in trading capital—a substantial sum.

“Alright, so how are the fees calculated?”

“Two ten-thousandths!”

“The trading period is two months, with a flat fee of 500,000. Additionally, I’ll give each of you an extra 100,000 as a bonus, and 50,000 to each team member!”

Li Yi was familiar with futures commission structures, which typically consist of two parts: the exchange portion and the brokerage portion. The brokerage portion is negotiable.

As for how much they could be reduced, that would require negotiation with a futures advisor or manager.

Many investors feel their commission rates are too high simply because they haven’t established a relationship with a futures manager and haven’t requested a reduction—so naturally, they’re charged the standard rate.

But the trading volume Li Yi was about to execute was enormous. If charged at the standard rate, it would amount to a massive sum, so he had to negotiate this price.

However, Zhang Qiusheng and Lan Xinyi, standing nearby, were completely baffled; they had truly never seen anyone negotiate fees like this before.

Wait, are you really haggling over this?

The company takes 500,000 in commissions, and the two of them each get an extra 100,000, all for just one month’s work…

The two felt like this was a stroke of luck!

Without a moment’s hesitation, Zhang Qiusheng nodded and said, “Then let’s do as you say, Mr. Li!”

“Great!”

Li Yi continued, “You should know the rules of the job. Once you’re on the job, you must maintain no contact with the outside world for the entire duration of the contract. Can you do that?”

“We can!”

“Good. You may go now. Bring everyone here tomorrow morning, and we’ll officially get started then!” Li Yi said.

“Yes!”

……..

Guangzhou. The Huang Mansion!

Sitting on the sofa, Huang Lixing remained silent for a long while before saying, “Brother Li Yi, you mentioned there’s a major upheaval in the Hong Kong stock market. How confident are you in this?”

Perhaps fearing Li Yi might take it the wrong way, he immediately added, “It’s not that I don’t trust you, brother. It’s just that this is all the capital I have available right now. Once it’s invested, the company won’t even have enough for basic operations. I have to be cautious!”

Li Yi understood Huang Lixing perfectly. Anyone in his position would have reservations—after all, 37 million was an unimaginable sum in those days.

More importantly, this was cash!

Cash and net worth are two completely different things. Many people have a net worth exceeding 100 million, but that includes fixed assets like company shares, real estate, and cars—they don’t actually have much cash on hand.

Some people even carry loans—their net worth may exceed 100 million, yet they can’t come up with a few million.

For someone like Huang Lixing to raise 37 million Hong Kong dollars in just one month was already quite impressive—at the very least, it was far better than Li Yi had anticipated!

Moreover, he believed Huang Lixing when he said this was all the funds he could mobilize; it made perfect sense for him to be cautious.

“Old Huang, your concerns are valid, and I understand them, but I’ve never been one to take on anything I’m not confident about!” Li Yi said.

“Are you really that confident?”

“Inside information!” Li Yi replied.

Hearing this, Huang Lixing’s breathing became slightly rapid.

He’d known Li Yi for quite some time, and after their recent trip to Beijing, he’d gained a fair understanding of the power behind him.

As the sole son-in-law of the Jiang family in the capital, with his father-in-law serving as the head of the Guangdong Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection, a man like him certainly had the standing to access inside information unknown to others.

With that in mind, he said in a low voice, “All right, brother. I won’t ask about anything else. You’re in charge of the money. If we lose it, I’ll take the hit!”

Li Yi smiled and said, “You won’t lose a dime! I’ve come here in person—how could I possibly let you lose? That would ruin my reputation!”

“Hahaha, you’re right. So when do we move?” Huang Lixing asked with a laugh.

“Let’s set off in the next day or two. But before that, there are a few things I need you, Old Huang, to handle!” Li Yi said.

“What are they? Go ahead.”

“First, find a reputable brokerage firm in Hong Kong right away. Have them prepare a few top-notch traders and keep them on standby!”

“No problem at all!”

“Second, I brought two million with me this time. Help me exchange it for Hong Kong dollars!” Li Yi said.

“Got it!”

As he spoke, Huang Lixing felt a slight shock run through him.

He remembered that when he first met Li Yi last year, he was just an ordinary street vendor. In less than a year, not only had he built a substantial business in Beijing, but he had also amassed a fortune of two million.

To be honest, even he was shocked by how quickly Li Yi had amassed such wealth.

At the same time, this gave Huang Lixing even more confidence in Li Yi’s trip to Hong Kong.

After all, in his view, those two million yuan likely represented Li Yi’s entire net worth. If he was willing to stake his entire fortune on this gamble, he must be absolutely certain of success.

“Old Huang, they say even brothers should keep their accounts clear. Let’s lay out the risks of this investment upfront: whatever we lose, I’ll split it fifty-fifty with you, and whatever we make, I’ll only take half!” Li Yi said.

“My half is a bit too much—you take seven, I’ll take three!”

Huang Lixing knew full well that if he got insider information on the stock market, making money was a sure thing, and the returns were often substantial.

Although he was providing the bulk of the investment capital, Li Yi’s inside information was far more crucial.

“No need. You’re willing to put up 37 million for me to take a big gamble—that trust is worth a 20% cut!” Li Yi said.

“Alright, let’s do it your way, Brother Li Yi!”

“Let’s make this a successful partnership!”

“It was a pleasure working with you!”

………….

On July 15, Huang Lixing finally got everything sorted out!

That same day, after saying goodbye to his father-in-law, Li Yi returned to Hong Kong Island with Huang Lixing and his five bodyguards.

Meanwhile, Huang Lixing’s wife, Chen Chuhong, and their daughter, Huang Min, remained in Guangzhou!

Although Huang Lixing claimed that Guangzhou was more comfortable to live in than Hong Kong Island and was also safer,

But Li Yi understood that this move was likely intended to curry favor with the Jiang family.

He was well aware that, in the eyes of a political powerhouse like the Jiang family, his social standing was simply not high enough to be considered respectable. The Jiang family would likely be very concerned about his association with Li Yi.

Not to mention that Li Yi had arrived with his entire fortune of 2 million yuan—a sum worth over 6 million Hong Kong dollars when converted.

With such a large sum of money, and given that he was a member of the underworld, the Jiang family might well suspect he had intentions of double-crossing them.

Although he had no such intentions, the Jiang family might well interpret it that way.

Therefore, by leaving his wife and daughter in Guangzhou, he was signaling to the Jiang family that Huang Lixing harbors no ill will toward Brother Li Yi.

The distance from Guangzhou to Hong Kong Island wasn’t very far, but the procedures were extremely cumbersome. Between waiting in line and going through the formalities, the short journey actually took the group over three hours.

By the time they arrived on Hong Kong Island, it was already 3:30 p.m.!

As they disembarked from the ferry, Huang Lixing’s henchmen were already waiting for them at the pier!

Eight luxury cars and over thirty burly men—it was quite an imposing sight.

Fortunately, Li Yi was a man who had seen it all, and he remained unfazed, which left Huang Lixing marveling in admiration.

He thought to himself that this guy was truly no ordinary person; most people would have some reaction to such a display, and the faint-hearted might even have wet themselves.

Yet Li Yi remained as calm as ever.

A person like that is either a reckless fool who fears no one, or he’s genuinely capable!

Huang Lixing had witnessed Li Yi’s capabilities firsthand; clearly, he wasn’t just a reckless fool—this man had genuine confidence.

To welcome Li Yi and ensure his safety, Huang Lixing took him back to his villa in the Mid-Levels, an affluent neighborhood on Hong Kong Island.

That evening, he also hosted a banquet for Li Yi at the villa, serving an abundance of delicacies from land and sea, fine wines, and exquisite dishes—it was nothing short of extravagant!

However, Li Yi paid no mind to any of this.

Having seen it all in his past life, these things were nothing special to him—utterly unremarkable—so he remained quite nonchalant.

This couldn’t help but make Huang Lixing regard him with even greater respect!

Just when Huang Lixing thought Li Yi would wait at least a few days to make his move, Li Yi requested a meeting with the brokerage firm’s trader that very same evening.

Although Huang Lixing felt Li Yi was being a bit hasty, he had previously stated that he would follow Li Yi’s lead entirely for this collaboration.

Without hesitation, he immediately had the brokerage firm’s representative and the trader summoned to his villa on the hillside, allowing Li Yi to speak with them directly.

“Snap!”

In his sleep, Li Yi sensed footsteps approaching.

Immediately afterward, the living room lights suddenly came on.

The sudden, blinding light instantly banished his drowsiness, and he slowly opened his eyes.

Seeing his father-in-law walk through the door, Li Yi immediately asked, “Dad, are you off work?”

Jiang Shiying spotted Li Yi on the sofa and asked, “Yes. Why aren’t you resting in the bedroom? The sofa is so uncomfortable!”

“I must have dozed off while sitting here—I didn’t even notice!”

“You must be hungry. Come eat with us!” Jiang Shiying said.

Only then did Li Yi notice that his father-in-law was actually holding two takeout containers—he had no idea where he’d brought them from.

After saying that, Li Yi went to the bathroom, splashed some cold water on his face, and then returned to the living room!

Once Li Yi returned, Jiang Shiying pushed one of the takeout boxes toward him, then turned and went to the kitchen to fetch a pair of chopsticks for him.

Opening the container, Li Yi found it contained half a portion of steamed rice and half a portion of braised pork with a rich, reddish hue.

Without hesitation, he picked up the chopsticks and began to eat.

Since there was only one box of food per person, they ate quickly, and before long, both the father-in-law and son-in-law had finished.

Li Yi immediately stood up, intending to go to the kitchen to wash the lunch box—he knew enough to do that much.

“No need to rush—sit down for a bit!”

Li Yi knew his father-in-law had something to say to him, so he stopped right away.

“How have things been at home lately?”

“Everything’s going smoothly. Mom’s health is recovering well. Dr. Jiang examined her a couple of days ago and said her condition is completely under control. As long as she takes her medicine on time, there shouldn’t be any major issues!”

Li Yi continued, “Also, Xiaoxue has finished her exams. She says she did well—her estimated score is around 450, so she should have no trouble getting into Beijing University or Shuimu University!”

“What about you? I heard from Long Yin that the land you bought has been approved. Are you planning to build a cold storage facility?” Jiang Shiying asked.

“For now, I plan to use it to build a cold storage facility!” Li Yi replied.

“For now?”

“Yeah, I have big plans for that plot down the road, but for now, I’ll just build a small cold storage facility!”

Jiang Shiying furrowed his brow but didn’t press the issue. Instead, he changed the subject and said, “I heard you came here this time to meet that businessman from Hong Kong. Is that right?”

“Right!”

“Do you know anything about him? Do you know what he does in Hong Kong?” Jiang Shiying asked in a low voice.

Li Yi was no fool; he could tell from the tone that his father-in-law had certainly looked into Huang Lixing.

“I do. Huang Lixing is a triad boss in Hong Kong. He mainly runs casinos and smuggling operations, and he’s got plenty of ruthless thugs under his command!” Li Yi replied.

“Since you know that, why would you want to get involved with such people? You must realize that people like him are the least trustworthy and the most unscrupulous. Getting mixed up with him is like courting danger!”

Jiang Shiying continued, “Besides, with the money you’re making now, you could spend it for two lifetimes and still have plenty left. Why bother dealing with those people?”

Li Yi smiled and said, “Father, I understand everything you’re saying, but let me share my thoughts as well!”

“Go ahead!”

“Father, you know the business environment in the country right now—it’s not exactly friendly to us locals. That’s why I need a foreign partner, and the only person I can find right now is Huang Lixing!”

Li Yi continued, “Secondly, although I’ve made quite a bit of money, after setting aside funds for investments, there isn’t actually much left. It might not be enough to cover our entire family’s expenses.”

“And another thing—I’m still young, right in the prime of my career. I want to take a chance and make my mark!”

“But that Huang fellow’s background…”

Before Jiang Shiying could finish, Li Yi interjected, “Dad, I’m confident. And I trust Huang Lixing to know which end is up!”

Jiang Shiying paused briefly, then asked, “So how do you plan to work with him? Do you need my help?”

“Not for now. I plan to go to Hong Kong with him in a couple of days to help him sort out some trouble there, and then we’ll come back to invest in building a factory!” Li Yi said.

“I’ve heard the triads are rampant over in Hong Kong. Won’t you be in danger if you go there?”

“I’m not going there to get into a fight or a shootout with them. I won’t be in any danger!”

“Hmm, just remember to think of Xue’er and the kids first—think things through carefully before acting!”

“Got it!”

……….

The rest of the night passed in silence!

The next morning, Jiang Shiying learned that Li Yi was going to meet Huang Lixing that day, so he immediately had Shen Tianhua drive him to Huang Lixing’s residence in Guangzhou—using his own car.

Li Yi understood his father-in-law’s intentions. Having the head of the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection personally drive him there was both a way to boost his standing and a warning to Huang Lixing.

If he dared to harbor any ill intentions, he could forget about ever making it on the mainland again!

Although he knew it wasn’t necessary, Li Yi didn’t refuse.

When Li Yi arrived, Huang Lixing had already been waiting at the entrance with his wife, Chen Chuhong, showing just how highly the couple regarded him.

Upon arriving at the Huang residence, Li Yi asked Shen Tianhua to head back first before approaching Huang Lixing.

After a warm exchange of greetings, flanked by Huang Lixing and his wife, Li Yi entered the Huang residence.

Huang Lixing lived in a rather historic mansion in the city center, which was said to have once been the official residence of a major warlord during the Republic of China era.

Although the decor now looked a bit dated, it exuded a sense of historical grandeur.

In comparison, Li Yi’s small courtyard in Beijing paled in comparison to this grand mansion!

Since they had important matters to discuss, the group did not linger in the living room; Huang Lixing immediately invited Li Yi into his study.

Upon entering, Chen Chuhong personally poured tea for Huang Lixing and Li Yi before excusing herself.

In an instant, the study was left with only Huang Lixing and Li Yi.

“Brother Li Yi, I’ve been waiting for you. Now, let’s discuss what we should do next!”

Li Yi looked at Huang Lixing and said, “Old Huang, how much funding have you managed to raise so far?”

“37 million Hong Kong dollars. That’s the absolute limit I can raise right now. Any more than that, and I’d have to sell my house and land!” Huang Lixing replied.

Thinking about what he needed to do, Li Yi immediately replied, “There’s no need to sell your property. 37 million Hong Kong dollars is more than enough!”

“That’s good to hear. But I’m just wondering, Brother Li Yi, what exactly do you plan to do with this money?”

Li Yi paused briefly, then said, “Old Huang, what I’m about to say is strictly between us. You absolutely must not let this get out, or our business will be ruined!”

“Understood. I, Old Huang, swear on my life that I won’t breathe a word of it!” Huang Lixing replied.

“There’s been a major upheaval in the Hong Kong stock market. I came here specifically to drag you into the market to make a killing!” Li Yi said, dropping a bombshell.

“The stock market?”

Huang Lixing’s heart couldn’t help but skip a beat. As a Hong Konger, he was no stranger to the stock market.

It wasn’t just Huang Lixing; in fact, almost every Hong Konger in this day and age dabbled in the stock market to some extent.

To Hong Kongers, the stock market was just like the Jockey Club or the Mark Six lottery—one of the hopes for many to strike it rich overnight.

And precisely because of this, Huang Lixing knew all too well just how treacherous the Hong Kong stock market could be!

Now, Li Yi—a young man who had never even been to Hong Kong and might not even fully understand what stocks are—was planning to invest his life savings in the stock market to make a quick buck.

To be honest, at that moment, Huang Lixing hesitated!

Beijing International Airport!

Waving goodbye to Jiang Xue and Jiang Longcheng, who had come to see him off, Li Yi walked into the airport terminal, carrying his suitcase and a small shoulder bag.

This major international airport was quite different from the Capital International Airport Li Yi remembered.

The biggest difference was that only Terminal 1 and the apron were in operation at that time.

As for Terminal 2, it was not yet in operation, and many of its ancillary facilities had not even been built yet.

In short, it was quite different from the airport he remembered!

Upon entering the terminal, Li Yi noticed that there weren’t many people around; in fact, it felt a bit deserted.

This was completely incomparable to the bustling Capital International Airport of decades later!

There was nothing to be done about it; back then, you couldn’t just hop on a plane whenever you wanted.

Even if you had the money, that wasn’t enough—you needed a certificate from your employer, and it had to be for official business.

Private travel? Sorry, we don’t accommodate that!

So, flying at that time didn’t just mean “having the means,” but was also a symbol of social status.

For a significant number of people, flying was a matter of great prestige.

It wasn’t until 1993, when the government abolished the requirement for a referral letter to purchase plane tickets, that ordinary citizens could buy tickets freely, and civil aviation began to become accessible to the general public.

Li Yi quickly located the ticket counter at the airport and strode over.

“Hello, comrade. Do you have any tickets to Guangzhou?”

“We do have some, but please show me your referral letter and proof of employment!” the staff member said politely.

Compared to staff at other government agencies, the airport staff—whether ticket agents or others—were quite courteous.

Of course, this might be because their clientele was different; after all, in those days, only the wealthy or the privileged could afford to fly.

Li Yi had already obtained all the necessary documents and certificates for his flight a few days earlier, all issued by the cotton mill.

Immediately, Li Yi opened his small shoulder bag, took out all the necessary documents and certificates, and handed them to the counter.

After the female ticket agent carefully inspected Li Yi’s documents, she said, “Hello, comrade. The flight from Beijing to Guangzhou departs at 9:45 a.m. The fare is 68 yuan. Are you sure you want to purchase this ticket?”

“I’m sure!”

With that, Li Yi handed over seven 100-yuan notes!

To be honest, plane tickets these days are really not cheap.

At 68 yuan per ticket, that was almost equivalent to two months’ wages for an ordinary factory worker.

If the return ticket cost the same, that would mean working four months for nothing just for the round trip. No wonder so few people fly these days.

“Here are your tickets and boarding passes. Please keep them safe!”

“Thank you!”

After receiving the ticket, Li Yi breathed a sigh of relief.

These days, buying a plane ticket depends not only on your means but also on luck.

Many people, even if they have a letter of recommendation from their employer and the financial means to fly, still can’t guarantee they’ll get a ticket.

The most ridiculous part is that sometimes, even with all the paperwork in order, you still have to wait nearly half a month for a ticket.

Fortunately, flights to Guangzhou and Shanghai were the most common at Beijing Airport, so Li Yi’s trip went relatively smoothly.

At exactly 9:00 a.m., Li Yi finally boarded the plane.

But as soon as he stepped on board, he was startled by the scene before him.

There weren’t many people on board; out of thirty or forty seats, there were only seventeen or eighteen passengers, and most of them were men.

This was actually what Li Yi had expected; after all, business travel was still predominantly male-dominated these days.

But what Li Yi never could have imagined was that nearly every one of the dozen or so men on board had a cigarette in hand.

That’s right—the kind of cigarettes everyone knows: Huazi, Dazhongjiu, Ganghua, Guihua, and so on!

Everyone was puffing away, filling the entire cabin with a pungent smell of smoke.

On top of that, some were playing cards, others were drinking, and there were even those playing with lighters or striking matches.

Wow, he really had no idea flying was this “free” these days!

Amazed, Li Yi found his seat and sat down.

Shortly after, the in-flight announcement came on, and soon the plane took off from Capital Airport, heading straight for Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong Province!

The flight lasted a little over four hours, and the sights and sounds along the way left Li Yi quite astonished.

Not only was smoking allowed in the cabin and passengers permitted to bring their own lighters, but the flight attendants also handed out souvenirs—including keychains, playing cards, combs, fans, model airplanes, and all sorts of other trinkets.

In fact, shortly after takeoff, when the flight attendants noticed Li Yi wasn’t smoking, they specially gave him a pack of Zhonghua cigarettes and a few pieces of gum.

Although Li Yi didn’t smoke, he was curious about this pack of five cigarettes, so he accepted it.

Another surprise was the in-flight meal service; since the plane was scheduled to land at 2:00 p.m., it happened to be right around dinnertime.

As a result, Li Yi had the opportunity to enjoy the in-flight meal provided by the airline.

Unlike the simple, fast-food meals of decades later, the food served on the plane today was incredibly varied—not only did it include bread, red sausage, and ice cream, but there was even Five-Star beer, Maotai liquor, and red wine to drink.

Wow, the service on today’s flights really makes you feel right at home.

Of course, airlines these days are really taking some risks!

Li Yi’s first time flying in his previous life was back in the late 1980s, when civil aviation regulations were already very strict.

So this was a first for him—a real eye-opener.

? I have to say, this really is a magical era!

……..

At 2:10 p.m., the plane arrived on time at Yangcheng Airport.

As soon as he stepped out of the terminal, Li Yi spotted the person there to pick him up!

It wasn’t someone from Huang Lixing’s entourage, but his father-in-law’s secretary.

Jiang Shiying’s secretary’s surname was Shen; his name was Shen Tianhua. A top graduate of Beijing University, he was already serving as the secretary to the head of the Discipline Inspection Commission at such a young age, while also holding the position of Deputy Director of the Provincial Discipline Inspection Commission Office—a solid deputy division-level official.

Before arriving, Li Yi had called both Huang Lixing and his father-in-law, Jiang Shiying. Huang Lixing had originally planned to pick him up in person, but his father-in-law beat him to it, asking Li Yi to stop by his place first.

Consequently, Li Yi had no choice but to decline Huang’s kind offer to pick him up!

This was Li Yi’s first meeting with Secretary Shen. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the two left the terminal together.

They arrived at the parking lot outside the airport, where they got into a luxury Volga sedan and headed straight for the city center.

Li Yi had assumed Secretary Shen was taking him to his father-in-law’s workplace, but to his surprise, he was instead driven to a residential neighborhood of villas, where the car came to a stop in front of a courtyard.

“Comrade Li Yi, this is the boss’s residence. Go inside and rest for a while; he’ll be back this afternoon after work!”

With that, Shen Tianhua handed Li Yi a set of keys.

Thinking that this was quite in keeping with his father-in-law’s style, Li Yi thanked him, then used the keys to open the gate and walked toward the house.

His father-in-law’s home was quite nice—a small two-story villa with excellent interior design.

Although it wasn’t very large, it was comfortable and quiet.

Guangdong Province truly lived up to its reputation as the vanguard of reform and opening-up; this alone was a testament to that.

Li Yi had gotten up early that day, and after sitting on a plane for several hours, he was indeed feeling a bit tired.

So, after taking a quick look around the house, he lay down on the sofa and fell asleep…

………

July 7, 1981—the Minor Heat solar term!

Early in the morning, Li Yi and Jiang Xue got up, because today was the day Jiang Xue was taking the college entrance exam.

To help Jiang Xue feel at ease during the exam, Li Yi had specially bought her a new dress and sandals; he wanted his wife to look her best and go into the exam with confidence.

After a quick breakfast, she put on the new outfit Li Yi had prepared for her, grabbed her exam supplies and ID—which had been packed long ago—and the two of them headed out together.

Jiang Xue’s exam was scheduled at Beijing No. 4 High School—the very school where Juanzhi attended.

A couple of days earlier, right after she received her admission ticket, Li Yi had brought Jiang Xue here specifically to check out the location.

Driving confidently to the area near the school, Li Yi pulled over.

There were too many people ahead, and he didn’t want to drive through the crowd and make a scene.

Li Yi glanced at Jiang Xue and asked, “Do you want me to walk you over?”

Jiang Xue shook her head and said, “No need. I’m not a little kid—I’m not going to get lost!”

“I was just worried you’d be nervous. With me here, you’ll be able to relax a bit more!” Li Yi said with a smile.

Hearing this, Jiang Xue’s face instantly flushed red.

Thinking about how this guy had been giving her a hard time these past few days under the pretext of helping her de-stress, Jiang Xue couldn’t help but glare at Li Yi.

“Alright, let’s go inside. You should get there early and familiarize yourself with the exam room!”

“Okay!”

With that, Jiang Xue opened the car door and got out, then headed straight for the exam hall.

After watching Jiang Xue enter the exam hall, Li Yi didn’t go back. Instead, he got out of the car and began wandering around the school entrance.

Anyway, with his mother-in-law and Juanzi at home, he’d have nothing to do if he went back, so he might as well wait here for his wife—it was only a little over two hours anyway!

By now, the entrance to Beijing No. 4 High School was packed with people—a dense crowd of at least seven or eight hundred.

Most of them were parents of examinees, but there were also some, like Li Yi, who had come to accompany their wives or partners to take the exam.

Walking past them and listening to their conversations about this year’s exam and past cutoff scores, as well as their own children, Li Yi couldn’t help but feel a sense of unreality.

He had never imagined that one day he would be accompanying his own wife to take the college entrance exam, much less that he would be waiting outside just like these other parents while his child took the test.

Listening to the parents around him envisioning what their children would do after getting into college and what they would do after graduating, Li Yi found himself feeling a faint sense of anticipation as well!

The wait was agonizingly long!

Although the students inside the exam hall felt time was flying by, for the parents outside, every minute and every second felt interminable and agonizing.

At 11:30 a.m., as a piercing bell rang out from inside the school, the morning exam finally came to an end.

About seven or eight minutes later, students began trickling out of the school.

As they emerged, the school entrance instantly buzzed with activity. Some excitedly told their families they’d done well, while others burst into tears the moment they were out, clinging to their parents.

In short, people’s joys and sorrows are never the same!

Soon, Li Yi spotted Jiang Xue in the crowd. Dressed in a yellow floral dress, she stood out so vividly among the sea of candidates in shirts and pants—she truly stood out like a swan among chickens.

“Jiang Xue!”

Jiang Xue was reviewing the exam questions in her mind when she heard Li Yi’s voice and immediately looked up.

She quickly spotted Li Yi in the crowd and immediately broke into a light jog toward him.

“Take it easy, why are you running?”

As soon as they met, Li Yi playfully ruffled his wife’s hair and said.

“Hehe, I just didn’t want you to get impatient waiting!” Jiang Xue said with a smile.

“Judging by the look on your face, you must have done pretty well!”

Jiang Xue smiled and said, “Yeah, I’ve seen most of the questions before. Aside from one multiple-choice question I wasn’t too sure about, the other basic questions shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Hmm, well, you’ve got me to thank for that. If I hadn’t been helping you unwind every night, you wouldn’t have done so well!” Li Yi grinned and teased.

“You can’t expect a dog to spit out ivory!”

Although Jiang Xue secretly scolded her man for being shameless, she had to admit that his method really did help her unwind.

Every time he was done with her, she was exhausted—she simply didn’t have the energy to think about anything else.

After a few days of this, her mindset had miraculously improved.

So much so that when she actually arrived at the exam hall today, she felt surprisingly calm, without a trace of nervousness.

“Alright, let’s go home!”

Then, the two of them got in the car and headed home!

When they got home, her mother-in-law had already prepared lunch and was waiting for them.

As soon as they walked in the door, Ye Lingyun couldn’t wait to ask her daughter how the exam had gone!

Upon learning that she had done well, she finally felt at ease…

…..dxmbang…

The college entrance exams ran from July 7th through July 9th.

During those days, Li Yi personally drove Jiang Xue to the exam site every day and picked her up afterward.

This continued until Jiang Xue finished her exams!

To everyone’s delight, Jiang Xue said she had performed well on all her exams and estimated her score would be around 450 points.

Although the scores won’t be available for a while, both Li Yi and Ye Lingyun breathed a sigh of relief.

A score of 450 is definitely considered high. If Jiang Xue really achieves this score, she’ll be able to choose from any of the top universities in the country—after all, last year’s admission cutoffs for Shuimu University and Jingda University were just over 400 points.

Overjoyed, Li Yi personally cooked that evening, preparing a table full of delicious dishes!

He also invited Jiang Longcheng, Zhang Xinyao, as well as Ye Jianhua and Lin Ying over to their home for a get-together to celebrate the end of Jiang Xue’s college entrance exams.

Happy times are always short-lived. With Jiang Xue’s college entrance exams over, Li Yi’s laid-back lifestyle came to an end.

The very next day after the exams, Li Yi began to get busy.

First, he went to the cotton mill, where he called a meeting with the factory’s management. After listening to reports from the heads of each department, he made some minor adjustments to the factory’s future operational direction.

At present, all departments of the cotton mill were running smoothly, with the textile mill and garment factory operating as independent entities.

As a result, State Cotton Mill No. 2 functioned as a large conglomerate, with each factory operating as a subsidiary.

Thanks to their autonomy and clearly defined responsibilities and tasks, work efficiency improved significantly.

Starting in June, the performance of all departments at the cotton mill improved dramatically, which was directly reflected in turnover and profits.

In June alone, they achieved 7.68 million yuan in revenue, with a net profit of 5.75 million yuan.

By the end of June, in just four short months, the cotton mill’s revenue had surpassed 17.8 million yuan, with a net profit of 12.96 million yuan, firmly securing the top spot among state-owned enterprises in Beijing in terms of both revenue and profit.

Of course, with the company’s rapid growth, various issues inevitably arose.

Li Yi seized this opportunity to resolve each of these issues one by one.

Before leaving, he handed over several sets of clothing design sketches suitable for the summer and fall seasons to Old Tan and his team, instructing them to expedite production.

After settling matters at the cotton mill, Li Yi paid a visit to the candy factory and the television factory.

Then, acting as an economic advisor, he held separate meetings with each of these factories, instructing them to adjust their operational models in accordance with the plans he had previously formulated.

After completing these tasks and settling matters at his shop and home, Li Yi immediately boarded a flight bound for Guangdong Province!

July, the sun blazed like fire!

It had been a month since Jiang Longcheng and Zhang Xinyao got married, and Huang Lixing and his wife had already returned to Guangdong Province.

Li Yi and Jiang Xue’s lives had also returned to their former tranquility!

However, as the college entrance exam drew nearer, Jiang Xue’s studies became increasingly intense.

To avoid disrupting Jiang Xue’s review sessions and to ensure she achieved excellent results, Li Yi turned down all work-related social engagements to fully support her.

His mother-in-law, Ye Lingyun, had also moved in from the Jiang family’s ancestral home to help look after the children while guiding Jiang Xue in her studies.

Now, the entire family’s focus is on Jiang Xue’s college entrance exams!

Although whether or not Jiang Xue gets into college no longer affects her marriage to Li Yi—after all, they’re already legally married—

But Li Yi still hoped his wife could fulfill her dream of attending college!

And Jiang Xue was working incredibly hard, studying for over ten hours a day from dawn till dusk. Aside from eating, sleeping, and breastfeeding the baby, she devoted every remaining moment to her studies.

Such dedication filled Li Yi with admiration, while Ye Lingyun felt a pang of sympathy.

But despite her concern, Ye Lingyun didn’t say much; she, too, hoped her daughter could get into a better university.

Regardless of how much knowledge she acquired, she needed to at least keep pace with her son-in-law.

She was a practical woman. Although her son-in-law Li Yi came from a humble background, his abilities were undeniable, and his future prospects were limitless.

While it is certainly a blessing for a woman to marry such a man, it is also a challenge, for she must constantly elevate her own standing; otherwise, she risks being left further and further behind by her husband.

“A bird flies far when it follows a phoenix; a person’s character rises when they associate with the virtuous!”

This has nothing to do with love or affection; being with an outstanding person inevitably leads to this.

With Ye Lingyun as her “mentor,” Jiang Xue made rapid progress.

In May, when she took practice exams, she could only score around 300 out of a possible 520.

But by mid-June, she was scoring over 400 points, and on a good day, she could even reach 410 or 420.

This might not seem particularly high, but given the limited overall proficiency of this year’s test-takers and the relatively low college admission cutoffs,

Therefore, with Jiang Xue’s current level, setting aside whether she could get into prestigious universities like Wudaokou University or Beijing University, she would certainly have no trouble getting into a regular university.

During this period, although Li Yi’s focus was on Jiang Xue, he also accomplished two major projects.

The first was the purchase of land to build a cold storage facility!

With strong support from the district government, the relocation of all residents was finally completed in mid-June.

Subsequently, Li Yi formally signed a land purchase agreement with the district government, ultimately securing ownership of 314 mu of land in Beiguan Village for 2.55 million yuan.

Although this drained more than half of Li Yi’s savings—and he still had to set aside funds for the cold storage construction—he was still overjoyed.

Judging by the pace of development in Beijing in his previous life, this area of Beiguan Village would have become an urban district by the 1990s.

Just imagine owning over 300 mu of land within Beijing’s Fourth Ring Road—what a concept that is. It’s safe to say that even if he did nothing now and simply laid back,

Once land prices rose, he could simply sell the plot and achieve financial freedom.

The second matter was that Li Yi selected two factories from the batch of materials Jiang Longyin had given him to serve as pilot projects for reform.

These two factories were the Capital’s Third Candy Factory and the Capital Television Factory!

The candy factory primarily produced various types of candy, but it also served as a downstream enterprise of the Qingshan County Sugar Factory, which supplied it with raw white and brown sugar.

However, due to poor management, the Beijing Third Candy Factory was suffering severe losses. Not only did it owe millions of yuan to its upstream and downstream partners, but its own workers hadn’t been paid for over half a year, and the factory was on the brink of bankruptcy.

The Beijing TV Factory was in slightly better shape. It wasn’t operating at a loss, could guarantee its workers’ wages, and didn’t owe money to anyone.

However, sales were sluggish and profitability was low, leaving the factory in a state of neither thriving nor failing.

After selecting these two factories, Li Yi conducted on-site inspections to assess their conditions. Upon returning, he personally drafted a reform plan and entrusted its implementation to Jiang Longyin’s team.

Although it was still too early to see results, Li Yi remained confident in these two factories.

He planned to take charge of these two factories himself once Jiang Xue finished her college entrance exams, aiming to turn them into new star enterprises in Beijing.

But just as everything was moving in the right direction, problems unexpectedly arose with Jiang Xue.

As the college entrance exams drew nearer, Li Yi noticed that Jiang Xue’s condition was deteriorating.

At first, she just seemed a bit nervous and was having trouble sleeping.

But soon her mood swings became more pronounced; even the sound of a child crying could make her feel on the verge of breaking down, and she appeared to be under immense pressure.

After this went on for a few days, her academic performance began to suffer.

Not long ago, she was scoring over 400 on practice exams, but in recent days, she’s been barely scraping by with scores in the 310s.

These results only added to her psychological pressure, trapping her in a vicious cycle…

As an outsider, Li Yi could clearly see Jiang Xue’s state and knew exactly what was going on.

Taking the college entrance exam for the first time inevitably brings with it various anxieties and worries.

For example, fear of performing poorly due to nerves, or what if she does so poorly that she fails to meet her goals?

Put simply, Jiang Xue’s mental resilience still needed work.

Although Li Yi had never taken the college entrance exam himself, he understood that mental resilience can sometimes determine success or failure.

Especially when it comes to exams—only by staying calm and composed, free from anxiety and nervousness, can one perform at their best, or even exceed expectations!

Therefore, Li Yi decided to have a serious talk with Jiang Xue…

……..

Late at night, all was quiet!

With everyone in the house already asleep, Jiang Xue finally dragged her weary body back to the master bedroom.

She tiptoed over to where Yunrui and Yunjin lay, and as she gazed at the two sleeping little ones, she couldn’t resist giving each of them a kiss on the cheek.

Only then did she take off her clothes and lie down on the kang.

Just as Jiang Xue closed her eyes to rest, a large hand suddenly reached out and pulled her into the bed next to her.

Jiang Xue let out a startled gasp, then whispered, “Stop fooling around—Mom’s still here!”

“Wife, you’ve changed!”

Jiang Xue’s expression froze for a moment, then she asked, “What about me has changed?”

“You kissed our son and our daughter—why didn’t you kiss me? You weren’t like this before!”

Hearing this, Jiang Xue blushed and gently punched Li Yi in the chest.

“You’re just making things up—aren’t you afraid of setting a bad example for the kids?”

Li Yi smiled without saying a word, but his hand slipped inside the loose neckline of Jiang Xue’s nightgown.

As a long-married couple, Jiang Xue naturally knew exactly what her husband was up to.

She immediately pressed down on Li Yi’s “misbehaving” hand and said, “Don’t move. I’m a little tired today!”

“I don’t think you’re tired—you’re just putting too much pressure on yourself. You can’t keep this up!”

“I… I’m just worried I won’t do well on the exam. I’m afraid I’ll let you and my parents down. I…”

As she spoke, tears began to fall from Jiang Xue’s eyes.

She’d realized this herself over the past few days, but didn’t know how to cope, to the point where she felt on the verge of breaking down.

Li Yi gently ruffled Jiang Xue’s hair with his other hand, smiled, and said, “Why are you crying? There’s nothing to worry about!”

“I… I’m just worried!”

“Think about it—if others do poorly on the exam, they have to go back home to farm or set up street stalls.”

Li Yi continued, “As for you, you don’t have to worry about any of that. If you do well on the exam, you go to college; if you don’t, you go home and become a rich housewife.”

“Besides, the worst that can happen is we’ll just study for another year and take the exam again!”

Anxiety is simply a habitual psychological instinct.

When faced with a situation, people don’t think positively; they tend to push themselves into a corner, drive themselves into a dead end, and get stuck in a rut.

Not only does this do absolutely nothing to help the situation, but it actually makes people even more fearful and anxious.

So when you encounter situations like this or people like this, don’t beat around the bush—tell them straight up that even if they fail, it’s no big deal.

All risks are manageable, and any losses are within acceptable limits!

Sure enough, after hearing Li Yi’s words, Jiang Xue felt a little better.

“Is it really okay if I don’t do well on the exam?”

“What’s the big deal? Our family doesn’t need you to go out and earn a living to support us. I’d actually love it if you stayed home with me for another year!” Li Yi said with a smile.

“No way! I’m going to college!”

“I’m all for it, but if you go to college, you’ll have to take good care of me!”

With that, Li Yi wrapped his arm around her and pulled Jiang Xue right into his embrace.

This time, Jiang Xue didn’t resist…

For a moment, the room was filled with springtime warmth…

………

After seeing Wang Anguo, Li Gang, and the others off, Li Yi set about entertaining Old Huang’s family with a clear conscience!

Over the next few days, Li Yi’s daily routine consisted of taking Huang Lixing and his wife, Chen Chuhong, on tours of the capital.

From the resplendent Forbidden City to the majestic Badaling Great Wall, from the Summer Palace to the humble hutongs, in just a few short days, Li Yi accompanied Old Huang’s family on a tour of all the famous historical sites and cultural landmarks in the capital.

Since the couple had plenty of time, they were able to fully enjoy every place they visited, without having to rush through them like tourists on a whirlwind tour!

Li Yi wasn’t busy during this time either, accompanying them throughout the trip. He covered the expenses, provided the manpower, and served as a highly capable and reliable tour guide.

Occasionally, when Jiang Xue wasn’t busy, she’d ask her mother to watch the kids so she could join them.

Huang Lixing and Chen Chuhong were delighted and deeply grateful for the warm hospitality shown by Li Yi’s family.

Before they knew it, a week had passed!

Huang Lixing felt it was about time to head back to Guangdong Province; after all, he’d been away for a month and a half, and it was time to return.

Besides, Li Yi had asked him to go back and raise some money.

Although he wasn’t sure what Li Yi needed the money for or exactly how much was required, the phrase “the more, the better” put considerable pressure on Huang Lixing.

Don’t let his net worth of over 100 million fool you—assets and cash flow are two different things. In reality, he didn’t have much liquid cash at his disposal.

But just as Old Huang mentioned his intention to return to Guangdong Province, Li Yi told him that Jiang Longcheng was about to get married and hoped he could stay to attend the wedding before leaving.

Li Yi made this request partly because Huang had become close with Jiang Longcheng over the past few months.

On the other hand, in his business plan for dxmbang, both Jiang Longcheng and Huang Lixing would play crucial roles.

Therefore, he also hoped the two men would get along well, so they could cooperate more effectively in the future.

In fact, during the few days Li Yi was hosting Huang Lixing, Jiang Longcheng had frequently dropped by, so he had also become close with Old Huang’s family.

Upon learning that Jiang Longcheng was getting married, Old Huang naturally had no objections and immediately decided to stay and attend the wedding.

……….

May 26, the 23rd day of the fourth lunar month—an auspicious day for weddings!

Today is the day Jiang Longcheng and Zhang Xinyao get married!

Early in the morning, just as dawn was breaking, Li Yi drove Yun Rui, Yun Jin, and Juanzi to the Jiang family’s old residence, asking his mother-in-law to keep an eye on them.

Next, he drove Jiang Xue to their rental house in Beiguan Village.

According to tradition, Zhang Xinyao was to leave from the rental house today.

At that time, Jiang Longcheng’s wedding car would pick her up from there and take her directly to the small courtyard they had purchased.

When Li Yi arrived at Uncle Wen’s courtyard with Jiang Xue, the place was decked out with lanterns and decorations, and the couplets on the gate had been replaced with new ones, giving it a particularly festive atmosphere.

In the eastern side room, Li Na and Feng Qian were helping Zhang Xinyao get ready, while Zhang Xinyao’s ailing mother and younger brother, Zhang Ziyang, watched from the side, occasionally offering her a few words of advice.

Zhang’s mother and her family had arrived in the capital three days earlier!

Zhang Xinyao had brought them here, partly to seek medical treatment for her mother and partly so they could attend her wedding.

In fact, if it weren’t for waiting for Zhang’s mother to arrive, given Jiang Longcheng’s temperament, he would have been eager to marry Zhang Xinyao long ago!

After dropping Jiang Xue off, Li Yi didn’t linger. After exchanging a few brief words with Zhang Xinyao, he drove over to his uncle Jiang Shirong’s house to see if there was anything he could help with.

At Jiang Shirong’s house, Jiang Longcheng had also gotten up early!

His eldest sister-in-law, Xu Qiuman, was helping him get dressed, while his second sister-in-law, Yang Rong, was watching over the younger children and occasionally teasing Jiang Longcheng.

With their son getting married, Uncle Jiang and Aunt Xu had both taken time off work to help with the preparations.

A wedding is such a major event that the family wanted everything to go perfectly, without the slightest slip-up.

Moreover, the Jiang family was considered a prominent clan, and this wedding had invited many distinguished families to attend.

If there were any oversights, it would bring shame upon the entire Jiang family.

When they saw Li Yi walk through the door, my eldest uncle’s family warmly came over to greet him.

They were all deeply grateful to Li Yi, especially his aunt.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Jiang Longcheng, now neatly dressed, immediately turned to Li Yi and said, “Brother-in-law, do you think I look all right today?”

Li Yi took a close look at him and couldn’t help but nod.

Today, Jiang Longcheng was wearing a new suit produced by the cotton mill itself—a navy-blue suit paired with a white shirt and polished leather shoes. Not only did he look exceptionally sharp, but he also exuded the air of a successful man.

“Not bad, but you’re missing a tie!” Li Yi remarked.

His eldest sister-in-law immediately chimed in, “We have a tie, but none of us know how to tie it!”

His second sister-in-law chimed in from the side, “Big Sister tried tying one for Third Brother just now, but maybe she did it wrong—it looked like a rope noose around a donkey’s neck. It was absolutely hideous!”

The phrase “a rope looped around a donkey” made Li Yi burst out laughing!

Jiang Longcheng, however, looked thoroughly exasperated; his second sister-in-law never missed an opportunity to take a dig at him.

“Hand me the tie. I’ll tie it for you!”

Then, under everyone’s surprised gaze, Li Yi effortlessly tied Jiang Longcheng’s tie.

With the tie in place, Jiang Longcheng instantly exuded a mature, masculine charm that made everyone glance his way.

By the time Jiang Longcheng was all set, it was almost eight o’clock.

By then, Jiang Longcheng’s friends and brothers had begun arriving one after another—there were actually dozens of them.

With the auspicious hour having arrived, the Jiang family’s wedding party finally set off, surrounded by the crowd, heading straight for the rental house in Beiguan Village.

Li Yi didn’t go along to the wedding; instead, he stayed at his uncle’s house.

Today, he was serving as the temporary driver—just as Jiang Longcheng had done when Ye Jianhua got married.

There was no other choice—cars were scarce these days, and there weren’t many people who knew how to drive…

A little past ten o’clock, Jiang Longcheng finally brought his bride back from Beiguan Village, and the new house was naturally bustling with activity once again.

After the festivities continued until past 11:00, at the urging of Uncle Jiang Shirong, everyone finally set off for the banquet venue.

Li Yi, however, went home first to pick up Huang Lixing’s family before heading over!

Jiang Longcheng had chosen the cotton mill’s staff canteen as the venue for the banquet!

After all, it was his own turf—not only was it easy to manage, but most importantly, it was cheap. Who would dare to mark up prices on the factory director himself?

Besides, with Plant Manager Jiang Longcheng getting married, the factory’s employees and officials were certainly expected to attend—and nowhere was more convenient than the staff canteen.

It was Huang Lixing’s first time attending a wedding banquet in the mainland, and when they arrived at the cotton mill, they were instantly stunned by the scene before them.

The open space in front of the mill was filled with all kinds of fireworks and firecrackers. A dozen or so workers were there, setting off various types of firecrackers, their crackling and popping echoing across the sky.

Beyond that, the mill was bustling with activity today; the courtyard was packed with people, so densely packed that it was impossible to count them all.

More importantly, starting from the factory’s main gate, a long row of large round tables stretched all the way into the factory grounds.

Compared to Ye Jianhua’s wedding a few months ago, Jiang Longcheng’s wedding was on a much grander scale.

It couldn’t be helped—after all, the cotton mill alone had over two thousand employees and managers.

Add to that the fact that Jiang Longcheng himself loved making friends, and the number of guests attending the wedding banquet swelled even further.

Consequently, not only were the cotton mill’s two large dining halls packed to capacity, but tables and chairs were even set up outside the halls.

And so, a grand wedding attended by thousands of people was created…

……….

The night passed without incident!

Early the next morning, Li Yi got up and drove straight to the cotton mill!

Back at the guesthouse, Wang Anguo, Li Gang, and the others were already up, packing their things and preparing to return to North Sai Province.

Their main purpose in coming to the capital was to escort Huang Lixing, a special guest.

After all, he had contributed 5 million yuan to the education sector of Saibei Province—an absolutely staggering sum in these times—and deserved such treatment.

More importantly, Huang Lixing had had a very unpleasant experience in North Sai Province.

Although the incident itself had nothing to do with the Saibei Provincial Government—it was Huang Lixing’s own poor choice of staff—it still left the provincial government feeling uneasy, which is why Wang Anguo and his team had been providing round-the-clock protection.

Now that the mission was complete, it was time for them to head back!

But what Wang Anguo and Li Gang hadn’t expected was that when they came downstairs, ready to leave, they found Li Yi already waiting for them by the car!

“Brother Li Yi, did you come all the way here just to see us off? There really was no need…”

Before Wang Anguo could finish, Li Yi smiled and said, “Come on, stop being so formal. Let’s go—I’ll take you guys out for breakfast!”

Then, Li Yi led the group straight to the cotton mill’s staff canteen.

That’s right—the cadre cafeteria.

Like all large state-owned enterprises of that era, the cotton mill’s canteens were divided into staff and executive sections.

Although they were in the same building, the menu was completely different—simply put, the cadres’ cafeteria served more lavish, rich dishes.

The staff at the canteen clearly recognized Li Yi; upon seeing him walk in with a group, they hurried over to greet them.

It was early in the morning, and there weren’t any fancy dishes on the menu, so Li Yi ordered a steamer basket of pork buns for the group and a large bowl of Beijing-style soybean milk for each person.

Li Gang was clearly trying douzhi for the first time. He took a sniff and asked, “Brother Li Yi, what on earth is this? It smells awful—it hasn’t gone bad, has it?”

Li Yi chuckled. Douzhi did indeed smell unpleasant—it had a faintly sour, musty odor—and as for the taste… well, it was even worse.

Even though it didn’t taste great, a visit to the capital wouldn’t be complete without trying a bowl of douzhi.

“This is called douzhi, a specialty of the capital. Once you leave the city walls, you won’t find it anywhere else!” Li Yi explained.

Hearing Li Yi make such a big deal out of it, Li Gang took a spoonful and put it in his mouth, half-believing, half-doubting.

The first sensation was a bit bitter, followed by a faint, strange aftertaste. After swallowing, a smell reminiscent of swill immediately rose up.

Although there was a faint hint of sweetness, it didn’t leave a pleasant aftertaste.

In short, it was disgusting!

After finally swallowing it, Li Gang grimaced and said, “Bro, are you sure this isn’t just spoiled swill? How can it taste this bad?”

“It’s supposed to be disgusting—that’s exactly the flavor we’re going for!”

After saying that, Li Yi turned to Wang Anguo and said, “Brother Wang, I was planning to have you guys stay a few more days, but since you have important business to attend to, I won’t hold you back. However, there’s something I’d like to discuss with you regarding my sister-in-law!”

“What is it? Go ahead!” Wang Anguo replied immediately.

“To be honest, I didn’t plan on asking my sister-in-law to come help me at first, but her business acumen is truly remarkable. Now that she’s leading a team to expand our market overseas, forcing you two to live apart, I really feel bad about it!” Li Yi said.

Wang Anguo shook his head and said, “Brother, there’s nothing to feel bad about. It was your sister-in-law’s own choice, and I support her, too.”

“Besides, even if she hadn’t come to work here, we’d still be apart most of the time since I was transferred to Ning City. We’re already used to it!”

Li Yi nodded and said, “This situation will likely continue for a few years, so you two need to be mentally prepared. Brother Wang, if you feel this isn’t working out, just tell me straight up!”

Wang Anguo chuckled. “Are you worried that we’ll be apart so much, and our relationship will suffer?”

“Yeah!”

“You’re overthinking it. Back when I was in the army a few years ago, I couldn’t even go home once a year, but we still made it work, didn’t we?”

Wang Anguo continued, “After I got out of the army, I was assigned to work at a local commune police station. I could only go home once a week—I’m used to it!”

“I’m just worried it might affect your marriage. If you two end up fighting over this, I’d really feel guilty!” Li Yi said.

“Haha, don’t worry about it!”

Li Gang chimed in from the side, “Brother Wang and his wife have been childhood sweethearts since they were little—their relationship is rock solid!”

“Besides, you know Brother Wang’s temperament. He’s a total wife’s man—he fully supports whatever Sister-in-law wants to do. He’d never dare say no!”

Wang Anguo immediately shot him a withering look and retorted, “You’re such a chatterbox. You’d better focus on how to handle Deputy Director Zhang—you’ve really screwed their whole family over this time!”

Hearing this, Li Yi immediately recalled how Li Gang had been emotionally manipulated by Zhang Yanru earlier—clearly, the guy had decided to strike back.

“What’s the deal? What did you do to that girl?”

Li Gang grinned and said, “Nothing much. Just took some guys to confront that slut once…”

“Did you beat her up?”

“No…”

Before he could finish, Wang Anguo chimed in with a laugh from the side: “The kid didn’t actually hit anyone. Instead, he pretended not to know about that girl from the Zhang family’s dirty little affairs. He kept her hanging on while having people keep an eye on her. Then, when she let her guard down and was sneaking around with her lover, they cornered them in the room and caught them red-handed.”

“That’s one thing, but the next day, the kid went straight to the county dance troupe and caused a scene, spilling all the details of that girl from the Zhang family’s affair. He got the whole county talking about it—that girl’s reputation is completely ruined. He really went all out!”

Li Gang snorted coldly and said, “What reputation does a slut like her have left? If Brother Li Yi hadn’t stopped me, I’d have chopped her to pieces!”

Li Yi smiled and said, “Don’t be so full of rage. Do you think it would’ve been better to chop her up, or is it better the way it is now?”

“Of course it’s better this way. You have no idea how miserable that woman is now. Not only does she dare not go to work, she doesn’t even dare step outside—she’s like a rat in the street!” Li Gang said with a laugh.

No sooner had he finished speaking than Wang Anguo chimed in with a laugh, “You’re feeling pretty good about yourself now, but you’ve also completely alienated Deputy Director Zhang. You’d better watch your step!”

“He’s just a deputy director of the Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Bureau—same rank as me. I’m not afraid of him. If he dares mess with me, I’ll take him down too!”

Clearly, Li Gang harbored deep resentment toward Deputy Director Zhang, the man who had nearly become his father-in-law.

“Alright, let’s drop this. It’s not worth it over a few scumbags!”

Then Li Yi spoke again: “Before I go, I want to discuss some serious business with the two of you. There will be major adjustments to national policy this year, especially in rural areas. You need to be particularly careful—don’t go causing any trouble.”

Li Yi recalled that it was this year that North Sai Province began rolling out the household responsibility system on a large scale.

Since this involved the distribution of land, livestock, and production tools among the production teams, conflicts had erupted in many areas, and there had even been several serious violent incidents.

Wang Anguo and Li Gang were both smart men. They didn’t ask Li Yi where he’d heard this, but nodded simultaneously to show they understood.

The group ate and chatted as they dined, and only after they had eaten their fill did they leave the cotton mill’s cafeteria.

Afterward, Wang Anguo and the others drove away from the cotton mill, heading north all the way toward the northern suburbs!