The scale of vision?

Du Zhaohui hadn’t formally studied these concepts, but he had always tried to emulate Du Chengrong.

Du Chengrong taught by example, and have built such a vast business empire from scratch, he was naturally very capable.

“You mean I should think bigger. Although Father only gave 20 million Hong Kong dollars, I shouldn’t fixate on just that amount and limit the scale of business projects. You mentioned real estate—residential buildings won’t work since once they’re sold, that’s it. In just a year, you can’t demonstrate long-term influence and reputation… Build something else?”

Build what? Copy Tang Yuanyue and build hotels in Pengcheng?

Hotels couldn’t recover investment within a year, nor was it a particularly bold choice.

Xia Xiaolan didn’t beat around the bush: “Build an electronics and appliances wholesale market.”

Xia Xiaolan was referring to what she knew from her previous life as the “SEG Electronics Market,” located at the intersection of Shennan Middle Road and Huaqiangbei Road.

In 1986, Huaqiangbei had no skyscrapers yet.

Pengcheng didn’t have an electronics center.

Standing in Huaqiangbei, one could see the horizon—no tall buildings blocked the view, just land under development everywhere!

The Huaqiangbei commercial district hadn’t formed yet, though the industrial zone was taking shape. Various electronics, communications, and appliance factories were settling in the area. Those who would become familiar industry giants in the future were just starting their businesses.

The boss of Vanke started his business in 1984, not building houses but selling projectors and VCRs.

Mr. Hou founded ZTE Semiconductor in 1985, producing electric fans, electronic keyboards, air conditioners, and telephones—making whatever they could, not being picky about business.

1986?

Oh no, Mr. Ren’s Huawei wouldn’t be established until 1987, initially acting as a sales agent for a Hong Kong company producing user exchange machines.

These future giants hadn’t yet accumulated enough to transform from fish to dragons and hadn’t yet evolved, but seeing them all concentrate on electronics, communications, and appliances in the past two years showed what were the most profitable industries throughout the 1980s.

The “SEG Electronics Market,” Xia Xiaolan remembered, wouldn’t appear until 1988.

But if Du Zhaohui got involved, it could debut earlier.

SEG’s success proved the market needed such a facility… Xia Xiaolan took Du Zhaohui to wander around Shennan Road, and Du Zhaohui pointed at the location, “You want me to build a market here?”

Would 50 million Hong Kong dollars be enough to build a market?

Xia Xiaolan looked at him enviously, “You’re a Hong Kong merchant. If you have this investment plan, banks would be very willing to give you loans.”

Of course, if this market was built, it certainly wouldn’t be called the “SEG Electronics Market.” If Du Zhaohui wanted to flatter, he could call it “Cheng Rong Electronics Market,” or if he wanted to be more willful, he could name it after himself.

Du Zhaohui licked his lips.

This plan would easily get support from Pengcheng’s municipal government—unlike building residential communities, this would benefit Pengcheng’s economic development.

“What about manufacturing?”

Though already quite tempted, he hadn’t forgotten the other option Xia Xiaolan mentioned.

Xia Xiaolan pointed at the factories, both completed and under construction.

“These are all manufacturing. They’re the source of products. Real estate is very profitable, manufacturing is more difficult in comparison, but if you choose the right direction, it can develop and grow sustainably.”

It depended on what Du Zhaohui would manufacture.

Produce stereos and tape recorders?

Or enter the communications field, making pagers now, then naturally transition to mobile phones and smartphones?

Or start with rice cookers and electric fans, aiming to dominate the appliance market?

These were all business opportunities, industries that could produce industry giants.

Even delivery companies could go public—Xia Xiaolan thought anything was possible.

But was Du Zhaohui the right person for this?

She couldn’t say.

She had taken 10 million Hong Kong dollars from Du Zhaohui, so she’d handle matters for the coming year. If he ran the business into the ground in 5 or 10 years, that wouldn’t be her responsibility!

Xia Xiaolan had presented Du Zhaohui with two business options, and he was struggling to choose.

It might have been better to tell him just one option, saving him from wavering!

“Don’t worry, I’ll stay in contact with China after I settle in America. By then you should have made a decision. For the next year, you can consult me about business matters without additional charges.”

It wasn’t that she was reluctant to share these good ideas with Bai Zhenzhu and Kang Wei, letting her people make money—it was that they couldn’t do anything even if she told them.

Building an electronics market—Bai Zhenzhu and Kang Wei didn’t have that kind of capital.

The project needed government support.

If Bai Zhenzhu had gone to the Pengcheng municipal government saying, give me land approval and loans to build an electronics market… the government wouldn’t gone crazy.

But Du Zhaohui proposing this project was feasible.

First, Du Zhaohui had 50 million Hong Kong dollars—though not as much as 50 million yuan, in 1986, Hong Kong dollars were foreign currency. Things that couldn’t be bought with yuan in international markets could be settled with Hong Kong dollars.

With 50 million Hong Kong dollars, Hong Kong merchant status, and the flag of Cheng Rong Group’s eldest son, his investment in Pengcheng would get government support as long as it was legal and compliant.

Xia Xiaolan thought it through clearly, which was why she envied Du Zhaohui so much.

Du Zhaohui himself hadn’t fully figured it out yet.

If Xia Xiaolan was going to help him, he couldn’t remain confused. As she said, as the Cheng Rong Group’s heir, he needed to think from the perspective of group development.

…

February 14th.

Zhou Cheng didn’t appear.

Sure enough, she couldn’t expect Zhou Cheng to suddenly understand Western romance and create a surprise for her, celebrating the foreign Valentine’s Day.

On February 15th, Xia Xiaolan was to meet with other exchange students and head to America together.

She would be gone for a year, and since being an exchange student was such a positive thing, everyone who could spare time came to see her off.

Liu Fen wanted to cry but feared making Xia Xiaolan worry while abroad, so she held back her tears.

Liu Yong and Li Fengmei had rushed back from Yunan, bringing their son Liu Zitao.

In the new semester, Liu Zitao would attend school in Pengcheng.

For him, going from Shangdu to Pengcheng was already a very long distance—on the train, he’d wake up several times before arriving, and even flying took a long time. He held Xia Xiaolan’s hand:

“Sister Xiaolan, is America very far from here?”

Xia Xiaolan nodded: “Very far. Even after eating and sleeping on the plane, you wake up and still haven’t arrived. We have to fly across the ocean.”

Tang Hongwen didn’t say much, just told Xia Xiaolan to study abroad without worries.

“I’ll look after everything at home.”

“Thank you.”

With Tang Hongwen around, no one would dare bully her family.

Before going through customs, all exchange students gathered. Xia Xiaolan saw a familiar face—Chen Qing was surprisingly among the exchange students. Chen Qing hadn’t even participated in the National College English Competition, clearly selected through other channels.

This wasn’t surprising—there were over 20 people going to America, not all from the competition finals. Everyone had their way of getting in!

A girl stood beside Chen Qing, smiling at Xia Xiaolan.

Xia Xiaolan was tactful enough not to show particular warmth toward Chen Qing.

Finally, at customs, Xia Xiaolan looked around—would Zhou Cheng appear?

—That only happens in TV dramas!