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

In 1999, the air in Hong Kong still carried the chill of the Asian financial crisis.

Despite the fact that thanks to Lu Yang's early intervention, the financial losses in Hong Kong were far less than the original historical trajectory, preventing Soros and his ilk from engaging in even more frenzied plunder. However, the real economy, especially the real estate sector which relies heavily on capital flows and confidence, was like a giant that had been knocked down by a heavy punch, and it has been slow to truly stand up.

Bottom out?

The market has become numb to talking about this word.

The harsher reality is that the bottom seems to be unfathomably deep.

The bubble of prosperity has burst, leaving behind only devastation and deep-seated doubt.

Housing prices have plummeted, transactions have frozen, countless small and medium-sized real estate developers have gone bankrupt, and even the giants that have stood firm have scaled back their operations and tightened their belts to make ends meet.

The chill even penetrated the thin mist swirling around Victoria Peak, enveloping the luxury residential complex that symbolizes the pinnacle of wealth and status in Hong Kong.

Is this a golden age for buying at rock-bottom prices?

In theory, yes.

In reality, very few investors dare to enter the market.

Confidence, something more precious than gold, was crushed to dust after the storm. Panic selling was commonplace, but buying support was weak and ineffective.

The luxury housing market, once considered the most impregnable fortress, is now deserted.

In the original timeline, in 1996, Japanese businessman Kazuo Wada ambitiously acquired the No. 10 Grand Mansions complex on Promontory Road from HSBC for a whopping HK$360 million, enjoying immense prestige for the time being.

Now, in 1999, if someone wanted to sell the same property as a package, let alone 3.6 ​​million, even if it were 2 million or even below 2 million, the market would likely be completely silent and no one would be interested.

The significant reduction in value is a stark reality that all holders must face.

However, Lu Yang is different.

He entered this game much earlier and more precisely than Kazuo Wada.

Long before the financial crisis brewed, before the final frenzy in Hong Kong's real estate market had reached its peak, he keenly sensed the risks and also foresaw the astonishing rebound in the future.

Therefore, when he made his move, his target was clear and the cost was low. In 1994, he acquired this group of mansions on Prudential Road from HSBC for only HK$1.2 million.

If he were willing to sell the entire property now, even at this market low, he could probably find a buyer for around HK$2 million if he gritted his teeth.

This means that in just a few years, the unrealized gains on paper amounted to tens of millions of Hong Kong dollars.

In a market rife with despair, this is already a remarkably impressive achievement.

But would Lu Yang do that?

the answer is negative.

As a reborn individual who foresaw the trajectory of the next twenty years, he was acutely aware of the explosive appreciation potential hidden beneath his feet.

The Hong Kong real estate market, after the storm, is not in a state of collapse, but rather is accumulating strength.

Once the new millennium is crossed, with the strong rise of the mainland economy and the gradual implementation of the CEPA agreement, Hong Kong's property market will start to recover, beginning with the luxury housing market, and then it will soar like a rocket, unstoppable.

The historical coordinates were clearly etched in his mind:

2003: Original Time and Space, the No. 10 Pro Road project launched by Kazuo Wada after reconstruction, although it lost 50 million, it was still sold for 320 million Hong Kong dollars.

2009: After being purchased and successfully subdivided and renovated by famous movie star Stephen Chow in cooperation with the Lidian Group, just one of the buildings, No. 16 Pro Road, was sold for HK$360 million.

In the same year, another building, No. 18 Pro Road, which was demolished, was also sold for 300 million.

In 2011, the main building of No. 10 Pro Road set a record of HK$800 million, breaking the record for the highest price per square meter for a residential estate in Asia!

Where is this a low point?

This is clearly a case of taking a nap while lying on a gold mine!
Lu Yang's goal has never been the petty gains of "tens of millions".

His ambition is to reap an astonishing return of billions in the next ten or twenty years!
Selling it now? That would be incredibly stupid.

Not only will he not sell it, but he will also meticulously polish this dusty pearl so that it can shine with a brilliance far exceeding its historical brilliance in the future.

The key lies in "transformation".

In the original timeline, Zhou Xingxing and the Lidian Group's ideas pointed him in the right direction: to divide and renovate this massive "boss house" complex according to the living needs and property independence of modern top-tier wealthy individuals, creating four to six independent, private, top-tier hilltop villas.

This is the true way to maximize value.

The difficulty in the past was the lack of a core operator who had an international perspective, top-notch aesthetic sense, a deep understanding of the psychology of the top wealthy people in Hong Kong and even the Chinese community, and could accurately control quality and costs, and was worthy of their complete trust.

Now, this person has been found.

Having taken on this weighty task, Du Lingling immediately demonstrated her rigorous and efficient work style.

In the two weeks before Lu Yang left Frankfurt, she did not indulge in her tenderness with him, but instead devoted herself to the study of the "Produce Boss House".

She collected all the information she could find.

Historical context: The history of this building complex, its past owners, and its architectural style are typical of British colonial-era executive houses, with Victorian and Georgian elements.

Physical characteristics: detailed architectural drawings, structural reports, geological survey data, area distribution, and analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of the original layout.

Laws and regulations: Strict restrictions on the development of properties on the hilltop in Hong Kong, renovation regulations, land title clauses, and environmental protection requirements.

Market reference: Transaction and renovation cases of other top luxury residences in the port city during the same period, as well as design trends of top international residences.

She practically turned herself into a luxury mansion expert on the hilltop in Hong Kong.

In my mind, various modification sketches kept emerging, being overturned, and then redrawn.

How to maximize the use of the scarce landscape of the land?
How can we infuse modern luxury and comfort while preserving historical charm?
How can property rights be divided reasonably to ensure the privacy and value of each detached villa?
How to accurately control cost budgeting?

Time flew by amidst intensive research and initial conceptualization.

Two weeks later, a Boeing 747 passenger plane that took off from Frankfurt pierced through the thick clouds and landed smoothly at Chek Lap Kok International Airport on Lantau Island, the port city.

After a flight of more than ten hours, Du Lingling set foot on this land of the Pearl of the Orient, a place full of challenges and opportunities.

In the airport arrival hall, a group of people had been waiting for some time. Leading them was a tall, capable young woman.

She had long, smooth, golden-brown hair, delicate and sculpted features, and deep eyes that held a hint of barely perceptible tension. She was Shelley, the mixed-race girl with "1/8 Chinese blood" that Lu Yang had mentioned.

Shelley was born into a declining aristocratic family in England. Her mother was a dancer of Oriental descent. Her complicated background gave her both English elegance and the subtle resilience of the East.

As one of the earliest core members who followed Lu Yang in establishing a presence in the port city, she was well aware of how crucial her current position was, and also knew what kind of person the soon-to-arrive "General Manager Du" was.

"Sister Shelley, Mr. Du's flight has landed," the assistant whispered.

Shelley took a deep breath, straightened her back, and tried to suppress her anxiety.

A new boss has arrived, and he's someone Mr. Lu values ​​so highly.

She could sense that the arrival of this new boss meant the end of her "temporary management" era in the port city.

What's the future hold: stay or leave?

Is the new boss easy to get along with?
Would you find her a nuisance and simply replace her?
The shadow of unemployment had haunted her throughout her adolescence, and that fear was now creeping back into her heart.

She forced herself to put on a professional, polite smile.

Soon, the target came into view.

Du Lingling wore a well-tailored off-white trench coat, her steps were composed, and her aura was restrained yet powerful.

Even though the long flight made her slightly tired, her inherent confidence and elegance remained undiminished.

Her sharp gaze swept across the crowd of people waiting at the airport, instantly locking onto Shelley, who was at the head of the group.

This feature is too obvious.

Lu Yang walked half a step behind Du Lingling, his expression calm, as if he were just accompanying her.

"Hello, Mr. Du! You must be tired from your journey!" Shelley stepped forward quickly, extended her hand with impeccable politeness, and greeted him in fluent but slightly British-accented Mandarin, "I am Shelley, and I will be responsible for your work and life arrangements during your stay in Hong Kong."

Du Lingling extended her hand and gently shook hers, her gaze lingering briefly on her face with a hint of scrutiny: "Hello, Shelley, I'm Du Lingling." Her hand was warm and firm, her voice steady.

"Mr. Du, would you like to rest at your villa first, or go to the company first? That way I can make the arrangements." Shelley's attitude was respectful, and she proactively offered to hand over the work. "I've already organized the company's documents and account information, and I can report back to you for handover at any time..."

“No need to rush.” Du Lingling interrupted Shelley, her tone gentle yet carrying an undeniable decisiveness. “You should work step by step and compile a clear catalog and summary of all the important project documents you’ve handled in the past two years, along with copies of the original documents, and send them to the villa on the mountaintop. I need time to understand the overall situation first.”

Instead of seizing power the moment she got off the plane, she displayed the composure and confidence of someone in a position of authority.

Her power comes from the absolute trust and empowerment of the man behind her, and does not need to be demonstrated through a hasty handover.

As long as Lu Yang has her support, she can seamlessly take over everything at any time.

This certainty brought Shelley some peace of mind, but it also made her feel an even greater, invisible pressure.

“Okay, Mr. Du! I understand. I will pack it up and send it over as soon as possible,” Shelley replied quickly.

Lu Yang remained silent throughout, simply observing Du Lingling's first "confrontation" with Shelley from the sidelines.

A faint smile seemed to be playing on his lips, indicating he was quite satisfied with the performance of the person he had chosen.

The convoy wound its way up the mountain road, finally stopping in front of a luxurious villa halfway up Victoria Peak, offering a panoramic view and a tranquil retreat amidst the bustling city. This was a temporary residence that Lu Yang had prepared in advance for Du Lingling and her son, and it was also part of his assets.

After settling in, only Lu Yang and Du Lingling remained in the large living room.

Outside the window, the city lights twinkle in all directions, and the night view of Victoria Harbour is breathtaking.

Du Lingling walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, looking down at the bustling city below. Suddenly, she turned around, a half-smile playing on her lips, and said with a hint of teasing, "Tsk tsk, Mr. Lu, I didn't expect your 'female subordinates' in Hong Kong to be of such high quality. Shelley... blonde hair, blue eyes, mixed race, tall, outstanding temperament... truly a rare talent."

She deliberately emphasized the words "female subordinate".

Upon hearing this, Lu Yang felt a headache coming on. He quickly raised his hands in surrender, his face showing a bitter smile and aggrieved expression: "Sister Du, you must be right! I swear to God, my relationship with Shelley was purely that of superior and subordinate! Purely a working partner! I haven't even touched a hair on her head! She's capable, reliable, and has English aristocratic blood behind her, so I put her in charge of coordination here, that's all!"

He wished he could swear to God to prove his innocence.

He didn't want things to go wrong at home, especially at this crucial juncture when Du Lingling had just taken over the important task.

Du Lingling looked at Lu Yang's eagerness to defend himself, and the smile in her eyes deepened, with a hint of mischief.

She snorted softly, walked up to Lu Yang, and pointed her slender finger at his chest: "Hmph, I knew you wouldn't dare! I'll let you off this time."

She knew, of course, that Shelley's importance to Lu Yang lay in her abilities rather than anything else, but occasionally giving this "womanizer" a naughty naughty look and seeing his nervous reaction was quite amusing.

This is also a way of asserting sovereignty.

After the minor incident, Du Lingling regained her composure.

She was an extremely rational woman, and she knew that Lu Yang could not possibly stay for only her.

Since you've chosen him and accepted this complicated relationship, possessiveness will only cause you pain and put him in a difficult position.

“Alright,” her tone softened, “you’ve arranged everything you need to in Hong Kong, and I’m basically settled in. Now I need to focus all my efforts on tackling that tough challenge at the top.”

She looked at Lu Yang, her eyes clear and firm, "You don't need to stay with me all the time. There must be a lot of things waiting for you in Pengcheng, and... you should go back to Mingyue's place too. I can manage on my own."

Lu Yang felt a slight pang of emotion, feeling both grateful and somewhat heartbroken for Du Lingling's "sensible" and "big-picture" attitude.

He stepped forward, gently pulled her into his arms, and kissed her forehead: "Thank you for your hard work, Lingling. If you need anything, feel free to contact me, or go directly to Shelley. She won't dare to neglect you."

"Okay, boss." Du Lingling snuggled gently against him, a hint of affection in her eyes, but quickly pushed him away with a carefree air. "Go on, come see me and our son when you're done with your work at the company in a couple of days." She pointed towards the nursery upstairs.

Lu Yang understood perfectly; this "understanding" was the cornerstone of his complex network of relationships.

He nodded, no longer lingering: "Okay, I'll have Ah Long and his men leave a team here to be at your command, to protect you and the child's safety. Just give them any orders if needed."

He gave a few more instructions, then picked up his coat from the sofa.

Watching Lu Yang's tall figure disappear through the door and into the waiting car, Du Lingling sighed softly, then her eyes sharpened again and became full of fighting spirit.

She walked to the window, her gaze sweeping over the hillside, seemingly piercing the night, towards the land belonging to the Produce Boss's House higher up. (End of Chapter)