National Tide 1980.

The Japanese side would never have imagined how many tricks were hidden behind today's surprise inspection.

In fact, while they were frantically dealing with the joint action led by the district government and calculating how much fine they would have to pay to temporarily settle the matter,

Even more deadly, the strategy of "openly repairing the plank road while secretly crossing the Chencang pass" has already begun to be implemented against them.

Because their "replacement," Ning Weimin, had already entered the amusement park and begun to casually inspect the site.

Ning Weimin was wearing a well-fitting black down jacket today, standing tall and with a calm expression.

He came to the site to inspect the location at the invitation of Qiao Wanlin.

Qiao Wanlin was by his side today, wearing a black cotton overcoat and wearing a solicitous smile.

The two women's attire was quite contrasting, one stylish and the other rustic, but they didn't attract anyone's attention.

They strolled leisurely through the park with a far more composed demeanor than the average tourist.

At this time, the amusement park in Beijing was still bustling with people, even though there were only two and a half hours left before closing time. Families with children were everywhere.

Long queues formed in front of amusement rides such as roller coasters and carousels, showing no signs of slowing down as closing time approached.

Shouts and laughter filled the air, and business was booming beyond expectations.

The two walked to a kiosk selling snacks and drinks, only to find that it was already closed.

They searched several more places, but found almost the same thing. Finally, when they were almost at the east gate of the amusement park, they found a kiosk selling things in front of a less popular attraction.

However, whether it's beverages, bread, or snacks like biscuits and preserved plums, all the prices are three times the normal price.

Ning Weimin queued for a full five minutes before he could buy two bottles of Coca-Cola. The price of one yuan and fifty cents a bottle made him raise an eyebrow.

Next, Ning Weimin didn't plan to return the bottles. He and Qiao Wanlin strolled around slowly, holding the naturally chilled soda in their gloved hands, drinking as they walked.

They then visited several toy kiosks and found that all the items were priced ridiculously high.

To be honest, this wasn't Ning Weimin's first time here.

The year after the amusement park in Beijing opened, he had brought his wife and children there once before, but this time the purpose was different.

He viewed it from a business perspective, and after learning a little about it, he couldn't help but marvel at the Japanese pricing strategy.

In his eyes, the things sold at the Beijing amusement park were as bullying as Kentucky Fried Chicken in the United States.

They set their prices at a level that would be painful for most Chinese people, but affordable if they gritted their teeth and wanted to make their children happy just once in a while, perfectly embodying the capitalist pursuit of profit maximization.

They have a deep understanding of human nature, but they are also incredibly inhumane.

"Looks like the Japanese have made a lot of money."

He spoke calmly, but his eyes held a knowing look.

With such a booming business and such high prices, talking about losses is utter nonsense.

He was 100% certain that the Japanese were incredibly ruthless and were definitely making money in secret; the so-called losses were just an excuse to extort the district government.

Qiao Wanlin quickly stepped forward, his face beaming with a smile, his tone carrying a hint of flattery.

“Weimin, you’re absolutely right! I could tell they were making a killing here; it’s definitely a lucrative business. That’s why I wanted to help you get this opportunity to replace the Japanese. Look at the scale of the amusement park, the visitor flow—haven’t I done right by you? If you take over, you’re basically living off what’s already been built. As long as you manage it reasonably well, it’ll be a lucrative venture. My only concern is whether you have enough capital to take on this project. After all, the aquarium project requires a huge investment, and didn’t you also build a building in Hainan? If you take on this amusement park as well, won’t your finances be stretched too thin?”

Ning Weimin did not answer directly, but simply nodded slightly, neither confirming nor denying.

His gaze swept across the layout of the park, then looked toward Longtan Lake Park in the distance, his eyes deep and thoughtful.

To be honest, he does have plenty of funds. The profits generated by his companies in China alone are more than enough to take over the Japanese shares.

At this moment, a hint of anticipation had already begun to stir in his heart.

He realized that if the aquarium at Longtan Lake and this amusement park could be merged and operated together, and the surrounding resources could be integrated, and with the help of the domestic animation IPs of the Shanghai Animation Film Studio, with which he had already established a cooperative relationship, it might be possible to create a super amusement park that integrates entertainment, dining, accommodation, performances, science education, and leisure, just like the Shanghai Disneyland and Beijing Universal Studios decades later.

The market potential is immeasurable.

But as soon as the thought crossed his mind, he calmed down again.

It's worth noting that he has already ventured into multiple sectors in China, including catering, clothing, antiques, film and television, music, advertising, gifts, and real estate. The Longtan Lake Aquarium project is also underway. If he were to take on a large project like an amusement park and integrate it with the aquarium project, it would be far too shocking.

It could easily attract unnecessary attention or even cause trouble.

By then, he won't be able to stay unknown even if he wants to, which completely contradicts his original intention of making a fortune quietly and becoming an invisible tycoon.

So after a moment of silence, Ning Weimin spoke, his tone resolute.

“I can solve the funding problem. Don’t forget, I have a wife who’s even richer than me. But do you think the Japanese will easily give up this lucrative business? I dare say their so-called withdrawal and exit are just an act; it’s all driven by greed. But if the district government really intends for me to take over, the Japanese will definitely be unwilling, and might even back out because of their greed, causing further complications. For example, what if the Japanese can guarantee annual profit sharing, or even make up for any missed profits? Wouldn’t the district government’s stance change then?” Qiao Wanlin quickly reassured him, “Don’t worry about that! The district government has reached a point of intolerance towards the Japanese and has lost all trust in them. Our attitude towards finding a replacement will absolutely not waver. Secretary Zhao and District Chief Zhang have both made the decision: as long as a suitable candidate is found, even if it means completely breaking ties with the Japanese, we will terminate the cooperation and take back control of the amusement park.”

Ning Weimin glanced at Qiao Wanlin and instantly saw through his thoughts from his anxious tone and shifty eyes.

It's obvious that Qiao Wanlin made all this fuss because he was after something in return.

He probably wanted to use his credit for facilitating this matter to get another promotion in the district government.

Without a special opportunity, it would probably take him ten years to be promoted to the position of director.

But if this matter is accomplished, he will likely be promoted again immediately. More importantly, as a section chief in his thirties, as long as he doesn't make any major mistakes in the future, his career ceiling will at least be that of a deputy bureau chief.

Therefore, Ning Weimin not only understood this pursuit of a career in government, but as a friend, he was also willing to create such an opportunity for the other party.

After all, the higher Qiao Wanlin's position, the greater the boost to his career; they were originally allies who shared both glory and hardship.

"Since the district government is so determined, I would like to meet with Secretary Zhao and District Head Zhang in person to discuss this in detail."

Ning Weimin said slowly, "This matter is of great importance. I must confirm the district government's attitude in person before I can move forward."

Qiao Wanlin was taken aback upon hearing this, and then hesitated. "Going directly to the Party Secretary and the District Head? Wouldn't that be inappropriate? After all, the one currently in charge of liaising with the Japanese side and leading the inspection is District Head Xu. He is the leader in charge of the commercial sector. If we bypass him, what will he think? We'll offend people."

Qiao Wanlin's concerns were not without merit, but Ning Weimin smiled, leaned closer, and decided to reveal some of his own thoughts to him.

“If I were to actually take over, maintaining the current situation wouldn’t be enough. I want to expand on a larger scale. After all, District Chief Xu is only the deputy district chief. The plans I’m currently working on are too ambitious; he probably can’t make the decision. Of course, what I mean is that you can communicate with District Chief Xu first. If we could meet with the district chief and the party secretary together and have a proper discussion, that would be even better.”

"You want to expand it even further?" Qiao Wanlin was startled. He was not only surprised but also puzzled. "How can we expand it further? This amusement park is already quite large, with nineteen rides! Weimin, I know you're a decisive person, but you have to be careful. What if you increase the investment and can't recoup the costs? After all, I think the Japanese have already pretty much figured out the potential of the Beijing market. The current amusement parks have almost completely captured the tourist resources in the southeast of Beijing. I think there's not much room for growth in ticket revenue. Don't be too optimistic."

Ning Weimin did not take Qiao Wanlin's warning to heart. On the contrary, he was actually more clear-headed about the issue than Qiao Wanlin.

"You're right. Geographically speaking, this amusement park mainly serves customers from Chaoyang, Dongcheng, Chongwen, Xuanwu districts, and half of the FT area in Beijing. As for the other districts, it's more convenient to go to the Bajiao Amusement Park in Shijingshan District. Moreover, amusement parks are most profitable in their first few years. When the Beijing amusement park opened, its equipment and concepts were new, offering a modern form of entertainment that Chinese people had never experienced before, giving it a first-mover advantage and making it incredibly popular. The Bajiao amusement park, which opened the following year, didn't have the same effect. Its visitor numbers have never been as high as the Beijing amusement park." So many. This clearly illustrates one point: these amusement parks are largely similar. Frankly speaking, Japan's amusement park model is basically modeled after early parks in Europe and America, and then the Japanese brought this model here. But the biggest problem is that this kind of borrowing lacks unique highlights and innovation, which will cause it to lose the favor of tourists. Imagine if we build amusement parks like this in the future, each featuring a carousel, roller coaster, and Ferris wheel, will people still feel fresh and excited? This kind of business philosophy is destined to become outdated, and it is precisely because I realized this that I wanted to make changes.”

Ning Weimin's words prompted Qiao Wanlin to think deeply.

"So you mean that amusement parks need to keep adding new rides to stay relevant? Only by making the rides more and more novel and exciting can they attract visitors? Your thinking seems to be similar to the Japanese side. So, the Japanese suggestion to continue investing and adding more rides isn't unreasonable, is it? Or is it even necessary?"

"No, no, that's not what I meant. My thoughts are quite different from those of the Japanese."

Ning Weimin shook his head repeatedly and continued, "You may have oversimplified what I said. You're only half right. Amusement park rides and attractions should indeed be continuously upgraded and updated. But none of that is as important as unique highlights and innovation. An attractive amusement park doesn't rely solely on advanced rides and attractions, but rather on unique and exclusive cultural highlights and connotations."

"Cultural highlights and connotations?" Qiao Wanlin didn't quite understand.

"Yes, it's like the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, Beihai Park, and the Temple of Heaven. Although they are all royal gardens and ancient buildings, each place has its own unique characteristics. So these places cannot be equated; rather, they are unique. From a tourist's perspective, they certainly hope to visit each one. As for amusement parks, the most famous, most profitable, and largest in the world is Disneyland in the United States. Their appeal never relies on the steepest roller coasters or the most thrilling high-altitude rides, although they do a very good job with the rides. Their real core competitiveness comes from the deeply ingrained cartoon characters like Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Cinderella, and Snow White, and their endlessly watchable animated feature films."

These examples were so well given that Qiao Wanlin finally understood and realized Ning Weimin's good intentions.

"You mean, you really want to turn Beijing Amusement Park into China's Disneyland?"

"Why not? Is our country's cultural heritage really inferior to that of the United States, which has been established for two hundred years? I'm already using the cultural attributes of 'Journey to the West' to build the Crystal Palace of the Dragon King of the East Sea, aren't I? Moreover, I've already established a cooperative relationship with the Shanghai Animation Film Studio. I'm not only investing in their creation of new animated works, but I can also legally use our domestically produced animated characters for commercial purposes."

"What?" Qiao Wanlin's eyes lit up. "You have such resources?"

Ning Weimin was amused by Qiao Wanlin's surprised expression, but quickly regained his composure and continued in a calm yet ambitious tone, "If I can really take over this amusement park, my initial idea is to merge it with Longtan Lake Park, integrating spatial resources. We'll create an amusement park themed around Chinese mythology and animated characters. I'll definitely upgrade the rides and add new equipment, but the focus won't be on high-tech, high-altitude facilities. The construction costs are too high, and the target audience is small, making it uneconomical. I believe the new facilities will be large theaters that can accommodate hundreds or thousands of people, and themed experience spaces for groups of dozens—that's a fun experience suitable for all ages. At the same time, a well-developed amusement park should also offer unique gifts and meals." Food and accommodation services. Revenue needs to be diversified, not just relying on ticket sales. Look at this amusement park, they sell generic goods at such high prices, and there's not even a decent restaurant where customers can eat in the warmer weather—is that acceptable? Therefore, I need more space, both for new facilities and for building a four-star hotel. If possible, I even want to build a high-end residential area next to the amusement park and aquarium. This way, we can maximize commercial benefits from the amusement park and aquarium. As for the customer base, we can't be satisfied with the status quo. We need to target the whole country, increase promotional efforts, and make the amusement park one of the main tourist destinations for visitors to Beijing. In this way, we can form a complete tourism industry chain, welcoming tourists from all over the country, and even driving the development of the entire Chongqing Cultural District's cultural industry.”

Upon hearing this, Qiao Wanlin's breathing became rapid, his chest heaved violently, and his eyes widened.

Ning Weimin's plan was far more ambitious than he had imagined. It was no longer a simple takeover of the amusement park, but rather a plan to drive the economic upgrading and transformation of the entire region. What a grand vision!

If he could make this happen, it would be an enormous political achievement for him.

The economy of the entire Chongwen District will also be revitalized, ending the humiliation of never being able to surpass Dongcheng District, Xicheng District, and Chaoyang District and never making it into the top three.

Needless to say, his path to promotion will be smooth sailing.

All previous hesitation and concerns vanished without a trace. Qiao Wanlin excitedly grabbed Ning Weimin's arm, "Oh, my Mr. Ning! Your plan is brilliant! It's absolutely feasible! Don't worry, I'll take care of meeting the Party Secretary and the District Head! I'll arrange it right away. I'll do everything I can to persuade District Head Xu to let you meet with the leaders as soon as possible!"

Ning Weimin gently patted his hand, signaling him to calm down. "Don't get so excited. Otherwise, you'll seem impetuous when you meet the leaders. Remember, don't reveal all of my plans yet, lest you scare the leaders. It's better if I explain the details to the district head and secretary in person, so as not to cause any unforeseen complications."

"Understood! Understood!" Qiao Wanlin nodded repeatedly.

Despite this, he was so excited that he couldn't help but slap his thigh and shout repeatedly.

"Wow, you're a genius! With a brain like yours, how could you not get rich? I'm impressed! Culture! Yes! It's culture! What our ancestors left us is far more valuable than those roller coasters and carousels! What Japanese model, what Western experience, they're nothing compared to our mythical stories! Nothing at all!"

Not far away, in the amusement park's office area, Yuichi Sugimoto was still overwhelmed with the inspection, dealing with government inspectors.

Completely unaware, a scheme that could drastically alter the ownership of the amusement park was already progressing irreversibly and steadily.

And he, too, is destined to be the one eliminated... (End of Chapter)