Tang Yuan Yue and He Zhi Tong’s grand wedding was set for July 22nd.
The reception would host 300 tables, each costing 5,000 Hong Kong dollars. The entire wedding celebration would span three days, with a custom-made wedding dress from overseas and a diamond ring approaching 8 carats… This wasn’t just Xia Xiao Lan’s gossip – the Hong Kong media had left no stone unturned in exposing every detail of this century’s wedding.
An 8-carat diamond truly deserved the “pigeon egg” nickname.
Another top-tier diamond bachelor was entering the halls of matrimony, leaving Hong Kong’s single ladies sighing in regret!
Yet they had little to be bitter about. Unlike those fairy-tale stories of celebrity Cinderellas marrying into wealthy families, the union of the Tang and He families was a merger of equals – the wealthy joining the wealthy.
How does one marry a prince?
Best to be a princess yourself!
Though the He family wasn’t as wealthy as the Tang family, they were only relatively less affluent. He Zhi Tong’s worth still overshadowed most people’s.
Through this upcoming wedding, He Zhi Tong had achieved a certain degree of financial independence.
Madam Tang adored her future daughter-in-law, grateful for the He family’s crucial support, and generously given a 20 million Hong Kong dollar betrothal gift. If this were a Cinderella marrying into wealth, it would be considered fortunate if the bride could keep all of the groom’s family’s gift money. But He Zhi Tong was no Cinderella, and the He family couldn’t be accused of selling their daughter.
The 20 million betrothal gift went entirely to He Zhi Tong, and they separately provided her with another 20 million as dowry.
The gossip magazines described everything in vivid detail as if they had been present during the gift exchange, even scripting dialogue for both families’ parents.
According to Du Zhao Hui’s gossip, the 20 million betrothal gift and 20 million dowry were true.
Outsiders thought it was a lot, but Du Zhao Hui called the He family stingy:
“Take my family – that old man had so many children, and when the ‘sisters’ marry, they usually get 20 million Hong Kong dollars each. With so many children, getting 20 million without having any power is already decent… He Zhi Tong’s family only has her and He Shi En, yet they only gave her 20 million for her marriage to Tang Yuan Yue. They’re keeping everything for He-Shi En.”
Cash was the most fleeting form of wealth.
For a young lady of He Zhi Tong’s status, buying bags, shoes, and fine clothes could cost several million annually. Add in jewelry collecting and charity work, and less than 10 million wouldn’t be enough to maintain her lifestyle!
Families who truly loved their daughters wouldn’t send them off with just cash – they’d give company shares, fund investments, or rental properties – assets that generated annual returns.
Xia Xiao Lan put down the gossip magazine, “How do you know the He family hasn’t given more privately? Besides, He Zhi Tong’s parents aren’t that old yet – it’s not time to divide the family assets. When it comes time to write the will, even if they favor He-Shi En as the son, they won’t leave He Zhi Tong with nothing.”
With just two siblings, how they inherited was a family matter.
Du Zhao Hui criticized the He family’s stinginess without considering his own family’s situation… Truthfully, Hong Kong tycoons like Du Cheng Rong who were such playboys weren’t common. Many wealthy men had only one wife, though they might have mistresses they wouldn’t bring home, or secret children they quietly supported.
While Du Zhao Hui scorned He Zhi Tong’s 40 million Hong Kong dollar wedding settlement, Xia Xiao Lan thought it was a decent sum to start a business.
Smart people shouldn’t entrust their fate to others, be it parents, partners, or children – true wealth is what you own yourself. If He Zhi Tong thought it wasn’t enough, she could invest the 40 million Hong Kong dollars to generate more wealth, rather than spending it all – of course, Xia Xiao Lan couldn’t expect everyone to think like her. What if He Zhi Tong simply wanted a carefree life as a wealthy lady?
In that case, marrying Tang Yuan Yue had already achieved her life goal. Her task wasn’t to work hard to earn money, but to maintain her marriage!
Before Tang and He’s wedding, Xia Xiao Lan made a trip to Shangdu.
The museum’s foundation was complete, and it was taking shape according to her design. She was satisfied with the progress and had also finished the first draft of her graduation thesis.
The thesis would need revision, but Xia Xiao Lan was relaxed about it, planning to polish it gradually – this wasn’t something she could delegate.
With the thesis written, the defense would be easier since she had designed the museum entirely by herself and wouldn’t be stumped by questions. Xia Xiao Lan had set September for her graduation defense.
In October, she could focus entirely on operating Qihang Capital, numbing and deceiving Xia Zi Yu while quietly waiting for the Hong Kong stock market crash!
Meanwhile, on Qiong Island, Liu Yong had spent three months with Ge Jian and others, acquiring nearly 300 mu of land.
Liu Yong had tanned dark as coal on Qiong Island.
Perhaps because Qihang Capital’s aggressive performance in Hong Kong had firmly captured Xia Zi Yu’s attention, Liu Yong’s activities on Qiong Island had temporarily gone unnoticed… Those plots of land were like cabbage rotting in the fields before autumn harvest – each vibrant and cheap, their leaves swaying in the autumn wind, enticing Liu Yong to buy them.
“I’m very cheap, buy me!”
“I have the best location, buy me!”
“I’m half-price, almost free, send money quick!”
Liu Yong called Xia Xiao Lan, sharing his thoughts about land prices being as cheap as cabbage, making her laugh heartily: “Uncle, thank you for your hard work. Stay on Qiong Island a while longer – you can’t leave until that 20 million is spent!”
Xia Xiao Lan’s 15 million and Liu Yong’s 5 million.
Together they could buy 400 mu of land.
Xia Xiao Lan felt the timing was right to start developing one of the scattered plots they’d purchased.
It wasn’t that land prices would immediately soar next year when Qiong Island became a province and special economic zone.
A crucial factor in land price increases was housing prices.
When housing prices rose and real estate became more profitable, land prices would naturally follow.
Currently, Ye City’s housing prices are only 300-400 per square meter. Once Qiong Island Province was established, commodity housing prices would increase by at least 1,000 yuan from the current level. Qihang Real Estate needed to simultaneously buy land and develop projects, and do them well enough that they would truly be worth 1,300 yuan/m² next year, showing other investors Qiong Island’s real estate potential – otherwise, how could the game of musical chairs begin?
This first batch of Qihang’s commercial housing would find buyers.
A price of around 1,300 yuan/m² was still affordable for some home buyers.
As for the second and third batches priced at several thousand per square meter, who could afford them? The answer was obvious!
Unaffordable high prices would lead to large-scale vacant properties.
By then, Xia Xiao Lan should have already withdrawn from Qiong Island, avoiding the frenzy of blood-eyed speculators.
After discussions with Liu Yong and Ge Jian, Xia Xiao Lan decided to first develop a 40-mu plot.
With all their money spent on land, what would they use for development?
Naturally, they would seek bank loans.
Liu Yong stayed on Qiong Island specifically to secure local financing!