Exciting 1979!

Chapter 471 Sister Xue VS Vivian Chow vs. Li Zhi
The successful assembly of the Santana in China means that the Santana is about to enter mass production, which will inevitably lead to the lifting of restrictions on private vehicle purchases. Wei Ming is happy that he can finally drive openly in China.

After he spent a lot of money, the courtyard house in Nanluoguxiang is practically impregnable. Unless attacked by terrorists, it is virtually impossible to breach. So now the biggest concern is the safety of his two older sisters on the road.

A bicycle rider can be knocked down with a single stick, but a car driver, unless it's a staged accident, will never even see the driver.

As soon as the restrictions on personal car purchases are lifted, Wei Ming plans to immediately provide his two older sisters with cars.

~
the other side.

Gong Xue and Xia Meng continued their flight from Guangzhou. In the seats in front of them sat an American family: a chubby father, a chubby mother, and a chubby middle school student daughter.

What's more, the other party recognized Gong Xue, knew that she was China's most famous female star, had seen "Mom, Love Me Again" and liked Gong Xue very much, but they basically didn't speak Chinese.

Just as Xia Meng was about to help translate what they meant, Gong Xue started communicating with them on his own.

Although it wasn't a particularly difficult academic exchange, their English was surprisingly good. While it couldn't compare to my own experience of living abroad, basic communication wasn't a problem at all.

Xia Meng said to Gong Xue's mother, Zhuang Che, "Your daughter is really well-educated."

Zhuang Che was also surprised: "I didn't expect Xiaoxue to speak English so fluently."

Afterwards, Xia Meng asked Gong Xue, "Xiao Xue, do you also want to go abroad?"

Gong Xue shook his head: "I haven't thought about that, but I think the mainland will eventually fully open up and embrace the world. At that time, there will definitely be more cooperation between the film industry and foreign countries. Being able to master an international language will also become an advantage for me."

The above views were basically instilled in her by Wei Ming, but with her mother around, Gong Xue could only put them on herself.

Xia Meng nodded repeatedly after hearing this. Although Gong Xue was born in mainland China, she had a very stylish temperament and was over thirty years old. She was quite similar to Shan Shan, the other female lead in the new film. Moreover, the acting skills of the Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Award-winning actress were beyond question.

It's a pity that Gong Xue's distinctive mainland style ultimately doesn't match the Hong Kong woman's style; otherwise, she would have been a great choice.

After the plane landed, people from Xia Meng's company would come to pick her up. She asked Gong Xue, "Shall I take you there? Some of the taxi drivers here are xenophobic."

Gong Xue waved his hand: "Thank you, Ms. Xia Meng, but I sent a telegram to my sister before, and she replied that she would come to pick me up from the airport."

They walked out, not knowing whether Gong Ying had arrived or not.

Before Gong Xue and her mother could even spot Gong Ying, Xia Meng pointed outside and said, "Oh, Ying is already here. She must have driven here herself."

She knows Gong Ying better now than her two relatives.

While Wei Ming was still yearning for the freedom of owning a car, Gong Ying had already achieved it long ago.

Gong Xue and her daughter were somewhat surprised; their younger sister/daughter could actually drive herself?!

After saying goodbye to Xia Meng, Gong Ying told her mother and sister, "A Long went to Japan on a business trip, so I'll drive his car for now. I'll buy my own car when the kids are a bit older."

Zhuang Che was astonished. A family of three owning two cars? That's a bit too extravagant.

After all, in her view, the value of a car is equivalent to that of a house, but in Hong Kong, cars and houses are worlds apart.

Gong Xue asked, "Cartoonists have to travel for work?" Then he couldn't give away these precious traditional Chinese paintings for the time being.

Gong Ying said, "Many of Kuangren Comics' works are in collaboration with Japanese manga magazines, especially Dragon Ball, which is very popular in Japan and is considered one of the top ten most popular works. We should thank Japan for their contribution to our house purchase."

Gong Ying spoke with pride about her husband's achievements.

Zhuang Che asked in surprise, "Oh, you've already bought a house in Hong Kong? Isn't it said that Hong Kong property prices are particularly high?"

Gong Xue: "Yeah, how come I've never heard you mention it before?"

Gong Ying said, "We bought it a few days ago, and I haven't had a chance to tell you yet. Hong Kong property prices used to be high, and of course, they're still high now, but they've dropped a lot from their peak. The one we bought was discounted by half. My husband and I have enough income to buy a decent second-hand apartment."

They quickly found a car, and Gong Ying let the two of them get in. Zhuang Che took out his camera and said, "Wait a minute, I took a picture of you sisters in Hong Kong."

Aunt Zhuang Che has decades of photography experience, and the photos she takes are very beautiful. Gong Ying also took a picture of her mother and sister in the car.

As the car started, seeing that Gong Ying could actually drive, Gong Xue remembered what Wei Ming had told them: they needed to learn to drive.

Although Wei Ming felt that he would definitely provide them with full-time drivers in the near future, it would be more convenient for him to drive himself during the transition period of a few years.

Although the car was just an ordinary German car, of middle-class standard, it had a fragrance and a cute plush toy hanging in the middle of the front. Zhuang Che felt that his youngest daughter was too much of a petit bourgeois.

As the car drove out of the airport, a Hong Kong that had only existed in their imagination and images began to unfold before them. Zhuang Che was less familiar with Hong Kong, while Gong Xue had only seen some Hong Kong films and television dramas on videotape before.

Gong Xue asked, "Are we going to your new home now?"

"We haven't moved into the new house yet. We'll move in when Ah Long comes back. Now we're going to a restaurant. My parents-in-law have booked a private room to welcome you over."

Gong Xue asked, "Is it the Holiland restaurant that Uncle Liu owns?"

She often heard Wei Ming talk about it.

Gong Ying smiled and said, "Fast food restaurants are not suitable for entertaining guests. This time we are eating at a seafood restaurant. I have eaten there before and it is very good."

Zhuang Che asked, "Then your sister-in-law must be here too, right?"

"Of course, she's only been a few months old and can't be separated from someone."

"That's perfect, now I can give her the gift I brought," Zhuang Che said with a smile.

Gong Xue suddenly became alert: "Mom, did you bring a gift for Ru Yan?"

"Of course, we were on the mainland when she gave birth, so we couldn't help her. Otherwise, we would have sent her away long ago."

Gong Xue blushed and said, "I didn't prepare anything, Aying. Is it still not too late? Can you take me somewhere to buy a gift?"

Gong Ying declined, saying, "No need, we're all close relatives. If Mom gives it to you, it represents you."

Gong Xue glanced at the time: "No, no, my sister is rich, we can't be sloppy with etiquette."

Wei Ming said that Gong Xue could use his money in Hong Kong as she pleased, and he also gave her several thousand Hong Kong dollars and several thousand US dollars for spending money.

Gong Ying: "Okay, okay, then what should I give as a gift? How about a longevity lock?"

Zhuang Che: "No, no, I'm giving you a longevity lock."

Gong Ying thought for a moment and said, "Oh, I've got it."

As she spoke, she turned right off the overpass and turned on the car radio.

"Hello, this is RTHK Chinese Song Chart. Let's continue listening to this week's new songs. The next one is amazing. It's a new song by Vivian Chow, and it's a Mandarin song that she personally co-composed."

Upon hearing the name, Gong Ying wanted to change the channel, but Zhuang Che stopped her: "Zhou Huimin? Is it the Hong Kong singer Zhou Huimin who sang 'Pink Memories'?" Gong Ying hummed in agreement. The biggest market for this kind of Hong Kong and Taiwan music is Guangdong and Shanghai. Beijing is still a bit more conservative, but Gong Xue had already heard of it before.

Zhuang Che was clearly very knowledgeable about her songs: "I think the lyricist and composer of those songs are all named Wei Ming?"

Gong Ying glanced at her second sister in the passenger seat, and Gong Xue said calmly, "That's Wei Ming, whom we know. She's Wei Ming's pen pal."

Another DJ on the radio said, "Wow, she composed her own music! Is Vivian that talented?"

According to Vivian, the music for this song was co-written by her and Wei Ming, while the lyrics were written by Li Qingzhao.

"Who is Li Qingzhao? This lyricist is rather obscure."

"Please, Li Qingzhao, the one from the Song Dynasty~"

"Oh, her? It seems Vivian is going to follow Teresa Teng's style."

"Yes, this song is adapted from a timeless poem by Li Qingzhao, titled 'The Moon Fills the West Tower.' Let's listen to it now."

"The fragrance of the red lotus root is lingering, the jade mat is gently undressed in the autumn, and I board the orchid boat alone..."

Zhuang Che squinted slightly to appreciate her voice, which was even more youthful than Teresa Teng's. Listening to Teresa Teng's songs, one could tell that she had many stories to tell, while Zhou Huimin's voice sounded very immature, like a diary with many blank pages, seemingly full of more possibilities.

"How old is Vivian Chow?" she asked.

Gong Ying said, "Actually, Zhou Huimin is the daughter of the big boss of Holiland. My father-in-law is just a small shareholder and is only 16 years old this year."

Gong Xue nodded. The age matched the one Wei Ming had given him, but Wei Ming had given the age two years ago, when he was 14.

The 14-year-old girl, Gong Xue, didn't think much of it. However, she is now 16 years old, and the protagonist of the song "The Moon Over the West Chamber" she sang is still a young woman waiting for and missing her husband.

This made Gong Xue's feelings complicated, and the name "Zhou Huimin" became even clearer in her mind.

When the song ended, the three people in the car and the two radio DJs all gave it high praise. They unanimously agreed that the song's style was more fashionable and more likely to touch the hearts of young people than the album "Light and Elegant Sentiments".

One of the DJs said, "According to Vivian, this song will be one of the title tracks on her next album, which will be a Mandarin Chinese style album co-produced by her and Wei Ming, and is the culmination of their hard work."

Another person said, "Wow, the wife really does follow the husband's lead."

"Hey, don't talk nonsense. Let's look forward to this new album. Here's Anita Mui's new song, an adaptation of Momoe Yamaguchi's 'Red Doubt,' which is also the title track of her new album. It's unexpected that these two good friends have collaborated again. Let's listen to it..."

Gong Xue couldn't hear what was said after that, only the phrase "the wife leads and the husband follows." Zhuang Che hurriedly asked, "Aying, are Zhou Huimin and Wei Ming dating?"

Gong Ying said, "That's not true. That's just how Hong Kong media are. They're always making up rumors and gossip about other people. Didn't you hear the person behind you reminding him not to talk nonsense? These are all baseless rumors."

Hearing her sister say this, Gong Xue felt a little better, but the seed of doubt had already been planted. She would definitely tell Zhu Lin about this when she got back, and the two sisters would discuss a solution together.

Gong Ying drove them to the gift shop.

"This is a Japanese company called Sanrio, which specializes in selling cute gifts, perfect for girls."

Since Hello Kitty became a huge success in Japan, generating massive profits for Sanrio and boosting the popularity of other characters under the company, the company has begun to expand overseas. Hong Kong and Taiwan were the first stop, and this store, which just opened this year, is very popular among young women.

Faced with cute elements everywhere, Gong Xue was a little overwhelmed. She wanted this pendant and liked that doll, until she heard someone call out "Sister Ying".

The mother and her two daughters turned around at the same time and saw a woman with three heads, Lizhi.

Lizhi was dressed very modestly today, but she still quickly became the focus of attention.

"Comrade Gong Xue, we meet again."

Gong Xue had a vague impression of Li Zhi, so Gong Ying helped her recall and gave a detailed introduction: "Li Zhi is now the president's assistant at Langning Toys Company. The president is Wei Ming's aunt."

Zhuang Che didn't understand. Wei Ming had a wealthy aunt in Hong Kong.
However, Gong Xue understood that she not only knew about her aunt, but also about her grandfather. Before coming, she had asked Wei Ming if she wanted to visit her grandfather, but Wei Ming refused, saying that it was not appropriate to publicize her grandfather's affairs.

"Xiaoli, are you here to buy gifts too?" Gong Ying asked.

Lizhi shook her head and whispered in Gong Ying's ear, "I'm here to gather intelligence on the enemy."

Next, Lizhi helped Gong Xue pick out a gift, which the shop assistant packed in a beautiful gift box, making it look more upscale.

Of course, the price was also quite high. Zhuang Che never expected that a plush toy would be more expensive than his own pure silver longevity lock.

After Gong Xue and the others left gratefully, Li Zhi continued browsing the Sanrio gift shop, looking at almost every product.

After leaving, she immediately returned to the company and wrote a report for Wei Lingling. The main point was: Sanrio gift shops have become a competitor to us, and the profit margin of the shops is huge. She suggested that Langning also launch its own physical stores.

Before Sanrio was called Sanrio, it was in the gift industry. In the late 60s, it began to get involved in the greeting card business and opened its first gift store two years later, mainly selling greeting cards.

In 74, Hello Kitty burst onto the scene, and Sanrio entered a period of rapid growth, launching many popular cartoon characters.

Of course, Sanrio didn't forget its old business of greeting cards, especially after Lanning popularized musical greeting cards, Sanrio was the most eager to follow suit.

Sanrio has now planted its flag in Langning, and their musical greeting cards featuring various cute cartoon characters are selling like hotcakes.

Wei Lingling ordered Lizhi to investigate after seeing Sanrio's Hong Kong greeting cards, as greeting cards were also a very important source of profit for Langning.

"Open a physical store?" Wei Lingling pondered in her office chair.

~
Gong Xue had her first meal in Hong Kong by Victoria Harbour, and both the delicious food on the table and the view outside the window were unforgettable.

Gong Ying pointed to the Hong Kong Coliseum outside the window, which is about to be officially opened.

She said to Gong Xue, "Sister, you must stay a while longer. I heard that a singer has his eye on the Hong Kong Coliseum and is going to hold a concert there. It's an indoor concert with tens of thousands of people listening together. You must experience it then."

Gong Xue felt it wasn't particularly attractive; the Workers' Stadium in Yanjing had tens of thousands of seats, so he didn't find it particularly appealing.

She smiled at her younger sister and said, "Mom can stay a little longer, since she's retired. But I have a job, so I can't leave for too long."

She planned to spend a week in Hong Kong, wait until her period was over, and then go back.

Gong Ying also understands that people with jobs cannot do whatever they want.

"Alright then, get some rest tonight, and I'll make some arrangements for you tomorrow."

Gong Xue: "Then tomorrow, could you take me to buy some clothes first, and then get my hair done?"

She thought of Lizhi, whom she had seen today; she was completely different from how she looked a few years ago. She remembered Ah Ying saying that this was what fashion was all about.
(Happy Mid-Autumn Festival! What kind of mooncakes did everyone eat? I'll go first. Today I had Yunnan ham mooncakes and mulberry black rice mooncakes~)

(End of this chapter)