Return to 88: Starting from Marrying My Sister-in-law

"Rest assured, Mr. Lu, Xingfang will do its utmost."

Director Li made a solemn promise.

After seeing off Director Li, whose steps seemed a little heavy, Lu Yang stood alone in front of the floor-to-ceiling window. The Singapore afternoon sun was blazing, but it couldn't penetrate the depth in his eyes.

The assistant whispered, "Chairman, it's a call from the Hong Kong Monetary Authority. Director Chan wants to speak with you as soon as possible regarding the issue of stabilizing the Hong Kong dollar exchange rate through foreign exchange reserves."

Lu Yang gazed out the window, his eyes expressionless. "Tell Director Chen that I'm flying to Hong Kong Island tomorrow afternoon. We can meet in person, but I don't want to be disturbed by the media too much."

This moment was already destined after the Century Group officially issued its announcement.

However, announcements are announcements, and promises are promises; it doesn't mean that Lu Yang has to obey the arrangements of certain people in the Hong Kong government.

He has his own reasons.

However, since they have officially sent an invitation, it wouldn't be good to turn it down. If word gets out, and the media reports it, people will think that Lu Yang is just all talk and no action, but when it comes to the crucial moment, he's unwilling to invest a single penny.

Ha ha……

The port city is not Lu Yang's port city.

Or... the port city of all port city people.

He turned and walked to the desk, his gaze falling on the open leather notebook.

The ink on the words "Li Zekai, Yingke" was still wet.

He picked up his pen and added another line below, his handwriting still sharp: "Economic Department, Li, March term."

Add another stroke to the notebook.

night.

The night in Singapore was already deep outside the window, and only a warm yellow wall lamp remained in the master bedroom of the garden villa.

Lu Yang leaned against the headboard, Xu Siqi nestled obediently in his arms, the faint scent of gardenias in her hair mingling with the lingering smell of cigars on his body.

"Have you settled things with your mother?" Lu Yang casually twirled a strand of her long hair with his fingertips, but his gaze was fixed on the void, as if he was still reviewing the game he had played with the Economic Department during the day.

“Yes, Mom has moved into the suite in the west wing with Feifei.” Xu Siqi tilted her head back and gently pressed her lips to his chin. “Thank you… I know she must have said a lot of hurtful things before.”

Her voice was muffled in the crook of his neck, tinged with guilt and dampness, “She’s always been a snob, but after she signed the papers this time, I could tell she was genuinely remorseful and… genuinely wanted to seize the opportunity you gave her.”

Lu Yang chuckled softly, his chest trembling slightly: "How can I be Feifei's father if I'm so concerned about these things?"

He turned and pulled her closer, but then his tone became abrupt: "I'm flying to Hong Kong tomorrow afternoon. If you're a good girl, just stay home and don't come to the airport to see me off."

Xu Siqi's body stiffened: "So fast? Then...when will you be back?" Her fingers unconsciously tightened around the collar of his bathrobe.

"After taking care of some things, I will transfer directly back to the mainland."

Lu Yang patted her back to comfort her, and said in an unquestionable tone, "Cheer up, don't worry, I will try my best to make time to see you and your daughter."

Seeing her lowered eyelashes concealing her disappointment, he deliberately pinched the tip of her nose and said, "Star Moon Media has just opened, isn't CEO Du just in time to make a big splash? You and your daughter will be quite busy from now on."

These words piqued Xu Siqi's interest.

She hesitated for a moment, then traced circles on his chest with her fingertips: "Mom discussed the company's first project with me today... We're planning to go back to China and open up the domestic market first. She wants to compete with the wildly popular Chinese show 'Happy Camp' this year."

talking.

She cited the example of "Happy Camp," a new program from Hunan Province in China this year.

“My mother said that the ratings for this program are very good. Since the program started airing, each episode has been higher than the last, constantly breaking records. She also wants to plan a program like this, and then use her own connections to persuade the old friends in the station to cooperate with the station and put the program on Hubei TV. This can be considered as the beginning of competing in the domestic market. However, she doesn’t have any good ideas right now.”

Lu Yang raised an eyebrow.

Du Yuanyuan has a keen sense of smell.

In 97, He Ling and Li Xiang's variety show craze was just beginning, which was the perfect time to seize the market gap.

"Happy Camp?" Lu Yang suddenly laughed, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes. "Since we have it, how can we forget about Day Day Up?"

“Every day... upward?” Xu Siqi was stunned.

The four words were unremarkable, but when Lu Yang pronounced them with a breathy tone, they felt like sand covered with gold dust, heavy and pressing on her heart.

It's as if these four words have some kind of magic.

It's just a very ordinary name, isn't it?
“Yes, every day is about improvement.” Lu Yang rolled over and pinned her down, but his fingertips moved in the air as if he were tracing a series of images. “Don’t just play games, we need knowledge and entertainment. Each episode will have a theme, such as opera, martial arts, or traditional crafts. We’ll invite real industry leaders to help the audience learn while having fun.”

His eyes grew brighter as he spoke, and he continued to reveal the future scenario: "The hosts need to create chemistry: a knowledgeable and steady person to control the flow, a lively and quirky person, and a fresh-faced and attractive young woman..."

Xu Siqi's breathing quickened: "Where can you find someone like that?"

It seems like it really could work. If this program can be successfully planned, it's sure to be a hit. She has a feeling about it.

"It's so close yet so far," Lu Yang chuckled, biting her earlobe. "There's a security guard at Hubei Provincial Economic Television named Wang Han who carries a camera. I've heard he's very eloquent and knows a lot of local dialects. Go recruit him and tell him—"

He deliberately dragged out his words, "As long as someone dares to stand on the stage, we'll give them a platform to change their life."

"Day Day Up" was the only variety show that could rival "Happy Camp" in the future. Coincidentally, the hosts were all from Hunan TV and were undoubtedly the pillars of Hunan TV.

Lu Yang's idea was very simple.

It's just a variety show. What's wrong with it being released a few years early and reaching a national audience?
"That's great... Honey, you know so much! Quick, tell me more in detail..."

"No, let's talk about it later."

The word "husband" ignited Lu Yang's passion, and he flipped over, pinning the woman in his arms beneath him.

As the morning light of Singapore was left behind the clouds, a Gulfstream business jet pierced through the leaden-gray clouds and landed at Lantau Airport.

Outside the porthole, the buildings of Hong Kong Island appeared and disappeared in the thin mist. The air was filled with a damp and heavy atmosphere, as if a mountain rain was about to fall. The dark clouds of the financial crisis were already hanging over this Pearl of the Orient.

Lu Yang stepped out of the cabin, dressed in a sharp dark suit, his steps steady.

He refused the VIP passage arranged by his assistant and headed straight for the regular exit. Sure enough, the passage was already packed with reporters with their cameras and microphones.

It was pretty much as he expected.

The so-called secrecy was actually a push for him, announcing his upcoming trip to Hong Kong ahead of time.

At this time, even the slightest bit of good news can promote unity within the port city's financial circle.

Give them a shot in the arm!

Not to mention a super-rich tycoon like Lu Yang with $30 billion in cash flow.

"Mainland student! Will all 30 billion US dollars be invested in the market rescue?"

Does Century Group have confidence in the Hong Kong dollar exchange rate?

There are rumors that you are at odds with the Li family. Will this affect our cooperation?

"Does Century Group have a specific timetable for intervening to support the stock price?"

...Sharp questions came like bullets.

He didn't stop, his gaze behind his sunglasses like a deep pool, leaving only a brief sentence for the camera closest to him: "Hong Kong is the Hong Kong people's Hong Kong. Protecting it is everyone's responsibility."

The voice wasn't loud, but it clearly pierced through the noise, carrying an undeniable power. Then, under the protection of bodyguards, he quickly got into the waiting Rolls-Royce and sped away.

The reporters were left pondering that meaningful remark and that silence that did not address the Li family's questions.

Instead of heading to the hotel, the car went straight to Lower Albert Road in Central, where the Hong Kong Monetary Authority is located.

The atmosphere in the top-floor conference room was even more oppressive than the sky outside the window.

Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, a gray-haired, serious-looking official, had been waiting for quite some time.

The small talk was kept to a minimum, and Director Chen got straight to the point, highlighting the enormous pressure currently facing the Hong Kong dollar's linked exchange rate system, with international speculators eyeing it covetously and Soros's Quantum Fund making frequent moves.

“Chairman Lu,” Director Chen said solemnly, “In extraordinary times, extraordinary courage is needed. The Hong Kong government earnestly requests Century Group to use a portion of its three billion US dollars in foreign exchange reserves to intervene in the market at this critical moment, stabilize the Hong Kong dollar exchange rate, and curb the arrogance of speculators. This is a matter of paramount importance concerning the stability of Hong Kong’s financial system and even the overall economy.”

Lu Yang picked up the cup of tea in front of him, his fingertips tracing the warm rim of the cup. He looked calmly at Director Chen and said, “Director Chen, Hong Kong is our home. Maintaining a stable financial order is my inescapable responsibility. I obtained this 3 billion US dollars with almost no effort. If it is used to safeguard the financial stability of Hong Kong, I, Lu Yang, have no reason to refuse.”

Just as a hint of relief appeared on Director Chen's tense face, Lu Yang's next words made him frown again.

“However,” Lu Yang put down his teacup, his voice clear and firm, “how and when this fund is used will be determined and operated independently by my Century Group team based on real-time market conditions. We do not accept unified command, nor will we announce specific action plans in advance to avoid leaks that could cause us unnecessary losses.”

Director Chen's expression changed slightly: "Chairman Lu, only unified and coordinated action can form a joint force and avoid being defeated one by one due to dispersed strength! This has been repeatedly discussed and debated by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority and the Financial Secretary..."

“Director Chen,” Lu Yang interrupted him, his tone steady and unwavering, “International speculators are cunning wolves. A mechanical, unified action is tantamount to revealing your hand to them. My team has mature strategies and experience. Trust me, what we need is the result, the ultimate goal: to repel the wolves and stabilize the exchange rate. The process isn’t that important, is it?”

He leaned forward slightly, and his invisible aura made the leader of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority choke on his words.

The conference room fell into a brief silence, broken only by the low hum of the air conditioner and the soft tapping of Director Chen's knuckles on the table.

He finally sighed, with a sense of helplessness and compromise: "Alright, Chairman Lu, I believe in your abilities and respect your judgment. But please be sure to... communicate key points in a timely manner."

The core issues of the negotiations have been resolved.

Just as Lu Yang was about to get up and take his leave, Director Chen seemed to remember something, and his tone softened, becoming more tactful: "Oh, by the way, Mr. Lu, if you have time after the meeting, Mr. Li Zeju, the eldest son of Cheung Kong Holdings, would like to meet with you in the next meeting room. The Li family has deep roots in Hong Kong, and it would be a good thing if we could join hands at this crucial moment. Personally, I would be happy to see it happen."

Upon hearing this, Lu Yang's lips curled into a very faint smile, almost imperceptible, but his eyes remained as cold and aloof as ever.

He showed no enthusiasm for the olive branch extended by the Li family, even displaying a subtle distance, merely nodding politely: "Thank you for informing me, Director Chen. However, the most pressing matter right now is to keep a close eye on the market. We can discuss the private meeting later."

He declined decisively, leaving Director Chen no room for further persuasion.

After saying goodbye to Director Chen, Lu Yang walked out of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority's gate.

The reporters who had been waiting outside the door swarmed around the door like sharks smelling blood.

The flashes of light came one after another.

"Mr. Lu, how did the talks with the Hong Kong Monetary Authority go? Has the bailout plan been finalized?"

"Mr. Lu, what are your expectations for the role of the four major families in Hong Kong during this crisis?"

"Lu Sheng, I heard that the eldest son of the Li family is also inside. Have you met him?"

Surrounded by bodyguards, Lu Yang stopped in his tracks. He took off his sunglasses, and his sharp, hawk-like gaze swept over all the reporters, finally settling on several large media logos.

He raised his voice, making sure it carried clearly: "The Century Group has an unshirkable responsibility for the market rescue plan, but specific details cannot be disclosed. As for the guardians of Hong Kong?"

He paused, a cold glint in his eyes, "Hong Kong belongs to six million people! Protecting our home depends on the confidence and efforts of all Hong Kong people, not on a few families. Especially those..."

His gaze suddenly sharpened, piercing the void as if he were naming a specific target: "Families with deep roots and far-reaching influence should take the lead at this moment and show real action with real money to help all Hong Kong people get through this difficult time! Instead of just paying lip service to 'concern' or holding private 'meetings'!"

As soon as this statement came out, the whole audience was in an uproar!

Although the name "Li family" was not explicitly mentioned, the phrases "deeply rooted" and "far-reaching influence" clearly indicate who they refer to in the current context of the port city.

The reporters were so excited they almost jumped for joy, their cameras flashing as they focused on Lu Yang's cold yet powerful face.

He successfully and openly directed the pressure at the family that he had written down in his little notebook.

Before the reporters could fully process this impactful statement and before a new storm of questions was about to erupt, Lu Yang had already deftly put his sunglasses back on and, under the tight protection of his bodyguards, got into his car without looking back.

The car door slammed shut, shutting out the noise and flashes of light from the outside world.

The Rolls-Royce smoothly drove away from the Hong Kong Monetary Authority and merged into the afternoon traffic in Central.

Lu Yang leaned back in his seat, gazing intently at the bustling street scene rushing past the window, his fingers unconsciously tapping a rhythm on his knees…

The trump card has already been played.

What will the Li family's reaction be next? (End of Chapter)