Back to 1979: Sending the Educated Youth’s Wife Back to the City

Chapter 215 Hong Kong Sights
At 8 p.m. that evening, people of all ages gathered around the TV in the hotel, waiting to watch the Japanese drama "Attack No. 1" imported by Guangdong TV.

On November 16, 1981, the Chinese women's volleyball team defeated Japan 3-2 in the final of the third Women's Volleyball World Cup, winning their first world championship. Since then, the spirit of the women's volleyball team has become a symbol of the era of reform and opening up.

It's no surprise that the imported "Attack No. 1" series became popular. Even though we won the championship by defeating the Japanese team, it didn't stop us from watching their "Attack No. 1" series with great enthusiasm.

I must say, the Japanese actually make pretty good sports films. Things like *Slam Dunk*, *The Prince of Tennis*, *Captain Tsubasa*, and so on. Whether it's anime or TV dramas, they're all very well made.

This type of film/TV series is not yet being produced independently in China. Right now, they're probably preparing to film the Four Great Classical Novels; that's where our current skills lie.

The next day, Yan Yan, Fang Tong, and Fang Fang arranged to play children's beach volleyball with a local girl on the beach. Just lower the net a bit.

Yan Yan and Fang Tong imitated the actions while shouting "Thunderbolt from a Clear Sky!" and "Meteor Fireball!" It was quite captivating to watch!

Changchang and Xiaowu were forbidden from getting too close, for fear they would get hit by the ball. But the two desperately wanted to get closer, and were then pulled away by their respective mothers.

"Let's go catch fish, catch fish, catch fish."

Lin Yan and her cousin-in-law walked on the beach with their child, both feeling that it was wonderful to spend the winter in the south with its mild climate. Although the four elders were not used to it at first, they were now happily playing "building the Great Wall" (a traditional Chinese game).

My cousin's wife said, "It would be great if our two families bought houses in the same neighborhood, so we could spend the winters here every year in a warmer climate."

Lin Yan thought for a moment. Ming Che had always said that the kind of apartment building with elevators that Brother Feng and his sister-in-law bought wasn't scarce; they could buy one whenever they wanted. Therefore, there was no need to buy one in the early stages of their business. If they wanted to enjoy a mild winter, they could just stay in a hotel for three or four weeks, like they did this time.

According to him, the future will likely see a surge in the construction of elevator-equipped apartments, mirroring the practices of Hong Kong and Western countries, to meet the demands of residents relocating to major cities like the capital and Shanghai. In this context, single-story houses will be completely inadequate. Even seven-story buildings without elevators will fall far short of the requirements.

New York, London, and other cities are filled with skyscrapers, with the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York even exceeding 100 stories. Tokyo is also seeing a significant increase in skyscraper construction in the past two years. If the capital city and Shanghai follow suit, elevator apartments will become quite commonplace.

"We might only buy a mansion in Xiguan for now to use as an office and guesthouse. But once your house is handed over, we can come back for a mild winter and book a hotel nearby, or buy a car to drive around. It will be just as convenient to get around."

The two families spent the Spring Festival together at the hotel. The elders were a little unaccustomed to not spending the holiday at their hometown. But the climate here was indeed very comfortable, and everyone was there. They might not be used to it the first year, but they'll get used to it in a couple more years.

By the time they were in their third year of junior high, Fang Mingche and his family of four had traveled from Guangzhou to Hong Kong. The others were driven around Guangdong by Mingfeng.

Fang Mingche and his group took a bus to customs and crossed the border with their business visas. After that, they took another bus. Throughout the journey, Changchang was carried in front of her father, while Yan Yan was led by her mother's hand.

Yan Yan has already been educated by her grandparents and parents that Hong Kong is our territory, and how it was lost under the Qing Dynasty. We will definitely take back Hong Kong.

When she set foot on Hong Kong soil, she saw that the surrounding area was just as bustling as the international metropolises she had visited, such as New York, London, Paris, and Tokyo, and she couldn't help but look around.

Fang Mingche said, "Let's go to the hotel first to drop off our luggage, and then we can take our time to explore."

"Oh well."

Fang Mingche hailed a taxi. After his wife and daughter got into the back seat, he took his son to the front passenger seat. "Qianshuiwan Hotel."

He had specifically booked this hotel because this renowned hotel was scheduled to close and be demolished later that year. The hotel opened on New Year's Day, 1920, and had hosted many Hollywood stars, political figures from various countries, tycoons, and even literary giant Ernest Hemingway.

This is also the place where Bai Liusu and Fan Liuyuan first met in Eileen Chang's "Love in a Fallen City".

Two years later, the film "Love in a Fallen City," directed by Ann Hui and starring Cora Miao and Chow Yun-fat, was filmed at the Repulse Bay Terrace Restaurant here. The later, renowned film "Lust, Caution" was also filmed in the same location.

The taxi driver knew immediately that the person was wealthy when he heard that they were going to the Clearwater Bay Hotel, and he provided them with exceptionally attentive service.

He was inwardly amazed; this family clearly spoke with a mainland accent. Were mainlanders really this wealthy now? He'd heard they were still struggling to find food and clothing, and that so many Cantonese people were fleeing to Hong Kong every day. For this reason, he was always grateful that his parents had come to Hong Kong thirty years ago.

When he mentioned this to Fang Mingche, Fang Mingche smiled and said, "The mainland is carrying out reform and opening up, and is on the road to prosperity. You are welcome to come back to the mainland for a visit when you have time."

Upon arriving at their destination, Lin Yan and Yan Yan were both quite shocked to see the pure white two-story European-style building constructed 60 years ago.

They had initially assumed the hotel would be somewhat old and run-down after Fang Mingche mentioned it was 60 years old. They even thought he was choosing it to save money. However, after looking around, they realized it was completely different. This area was clearly aristocratic, likely a district frequented by Hong Kong's wealthy.

Yan Yan exclaimed, "Daddy, this place is so beautiful!"

Fang Mingche said, "Yes. Don't assume it's outdated just because it's 60 years old. The buildings on the Bund are even older; are they outdated?"

"No."

"As for the interior, it should be renovated every few years. Let's go check in."

The family of four booked one room with a terrace. It had a direct view of the beach and the sea. The water was crystal clear, the sand was fine, and the scenery was picturesque.

After putting their luggage away, they went to the restaurant for lunch. They naturally ate Western food, as they've become quite accustomed to it these days. There was even a band playing music in the restaurant.

Lin Yan had a gut feeling this place must be very expensive. But it was already booked, and Yan Yan seemed to really like it, so she didn't say anything. It was something they could afford occasionally, though.

Thinking about the taxi driver's shock, she felt quite relieved. Why should they look down on us mainlanders?

After lunch, Fang Mingche asked Yan Yan, "Do you still want to go see the skyscrapers?"

Yan Yan quickly waved her hand, "No, no, let's just go hiking and swim around the hotel."

"Okay, let's stay here today. Tomorrow we'll go check out the market and do some sightseeing while we're at it."

Sitting on the terrace, Yan Yan asked, "Dad, why is Hong Kong so prosperous? Is it because they are capitalist?"

Fang Mingche shook his head. "No. Hong Kong has a great geographical location, it's by the sea. And it's a free port. Hong Kong people are also hardworking and willing to work hard. But, it also has to do with the decisions of great men."

Yan Yan asked, "What decision?"

Lin Yan, who was feeding her son, also looked over. She had never heard of this last point.

Fang Mingche said, "Actually, when 101 led his troops to the Lo Wu border in 49, he was preparing to come and recover Hong Kong and wipe away the century-old national humiliation. At that time, he led the Fourth Field Army all the way from the Northeast to the ends of the earth, and was invincible. Shenzhen was just a stop along the way. Just when he was preparing to recover Hong Kong in three hours, he received a phone call from Chairman Mao from Beijing, telling him to keep Hong Kong, because it would be useful!"

Lin Yan nodded, "So Hong Kong developed in the 1960s and 70s by taking advantage of such favorable timing, location, and people?"

Fang Mingche nodded, "Yes. Now the chief architect has drawn a circle in Shenzhen, hoping that Shenzhen can seize the opportunity like Hong Kong and take off as a window of reform and opening up."

In the afternoon, the family also visited a nearby temple.

Lin Yan looked at the two enormous statues standing side by side. "This one is Guanyin, so who is this one?"

"Mazu, the sea goddess, is worshipped by fishermen along the southeast coast."

Changchang, nestled in his father's arms, also looked up to see the white Guanyin statue. He preferred the brightly colored Mazu statue.

The family only stayed here for one night to experience it. Because it's really not that expensive! It's not the time to indulge like that yet. If this place weren't closing down and being demolished this year, Fang Mingche definitely wouldn't have spent the money.

The next day, we went down the mountain, entered the city, and checked into a regular hotel. After touring the city, we even took a taxi to the Peninsula Hotel for afternoon tea.

The two children played happily the whole way. Fang Mingche and Lin Yan were still investigating the market.

Once the loan for the old villa comes through, around 150,000 to 160,000 yuan, we'll use 100,000 yuan to pay off the 100,000 yuan debt for the courtyard house. The remaining 50,000 to 60,000 yuan can be deposited into the company account. We'll continue to use the courtyard house as collateral for loans. Last year, the bank only approved a one-year loan.

But the house will be fully renovated this year, and the guesthouse will be operating normally. I estimate I can get an extra 10,000 to 20,000 yuan in loans.

The loaned money will be used to repay another 100,000 yuan to the travel agency's public account. After distributing a dividend of over 20,000 yuan to the Wang family, there will still be about 300,000 yuan left in the public account. This will offset the bank loan and interest, leaving 100,000 yuan as net profit. At that time, the six commercial vehicles will also be released from the bank's mortgage.

Therefore, it's entirely possible to open another store this year. Hong Kong is a free port, and imports and exports are tax-free. This is very favorable for export businesses. I plan to open a store in Hong Kong in the first half of this year.

That afternoon, after returning from an inspection of the commercial district, Changchang muttered, "Tea, let's have some tea!"

He was getting hungry from walking around and wanted to have afternoon tea.

Lin Yan said, "You really know how to enjoy yourself."

The other day we went to the Peninsula Restaurant for afternoon tea, and the little one looked so happy. Now he's thinking about it again. But it's so expensive there, so it's best to just experience it once in a while.

At this moment, she looked at Yan Yan and said, "Sister Yan Yan, didn't you pack some afternoon tea snacks?"

There are many Michelin-starred restaurants on the streets of Hong Kong, and the family has eaten quite a bit these past few days. Lin Yan thinks she must have gained weight, but it's just not obvious because she's wearing winter clothes.

Yan Yan replied, "Coming, coming."

As she spoke, she took out boxes of food she had packed from the bag one by one, saying, "Changchang, come here, let me feed you some dorayaki. This was packed especially for you."

Fang Mingche looked at his son's blue sweater revealed after he took off his coat, "You really treat him like Doraemon, feeding him like that?"

Even though he doesn't watch many cartoons, he knows that Doraemon loves dorayaki. He had a son, but he hasn't even had much time to play with him yet. Yan Yan, on the other hand, is having a blast.

Yan Yan chuckled and said, "It depends on whether he likes to eat it or not."

Changchang quite liked it; it's a flavor that kids usually enjoy. Yan Yan was very happy feeding him, and would occasionally give him a few sips of milk tea to prevent him from choking.

The family stayed in Hong Kong for five days, then took a ferry to Macau. It took an hour.

Lin Yan glanced at Yan Yan, who was leaning on the gunwale, and Chang Chang, who was happily watching the sea from her father's arms. "It's only an hour away. Now that the shop in Hong Kong is open, we don't need to consider Macau for the time being."

Fang Mingche hummed in agreement, "Going to Macau is mainly for sightseeing."

However, the security situation in Macau at that time was probably worse than on the mainland. We should be careful about that; if things go wrong, we should evacuate immediately.

Upon arriving in Macau, he rented a car and even carried a handy weapon. Fortunately, the people of Macau continued their normal lives; they didn't cause any trouble, and nothing untoward happened.

Everyone knows that Macau is a gambling city with a highly developed gambling industry. But in fact, Macau's scenery and food are also very charming. Some of the buildings are especially brightly colored, like something out of a fairy tale. Yan Yan and Chang Chang enjoyed the scenery the whole way. Fang Mingche and Lin Yan accompanied them, taking care of them and taking pictures. The two siblings had a great time.

Yan Yan said, "Dad, Hong Kong and Macau are so much fun. The country should take them back soon so that more people can come and visit."

"Well, if we calculate based on the 99-year lease, one is 97 years and the other is 99 years."

Yan Yan did the math; there were still fifteen and seventeen years left. Thankfully, she wouldn't be old by then.

Fang Mingche and Lin Yan's eyes twitched. What are you, a six-year-old girl, saying about being old?

Lin Yan said, "Fifteen years, I'm already in my early forties."

Fang Mingche said, "It would be nice if the two of us grew old together." This was what he looked forward to most in his life.

Back in Guangzhou, Yan Yan talked about Hong Kong and Macau with her older brother, older sister, younger brother, and younger sister, sharing the food she had packed back with them and showing them photos.

Fang Tong asked her father, "Dad, Uncle Jiu and Aunt Jiu took Yan Yan and Chang Chang to Hong Kong and Macau. When are you going to take me, Mom, Xiao Wu, and Grandpa and Grandma?"

Fang Mingfeng said, "Visas are hard to get. Let's wait and see. Once the security situation in the south improves, Dad will go south and expand the business."

Bringing the whole family to Guangzhou for a mild winter is quite an achievement these days, and it certainly doesn't come cheap. But comparisons are inevitable! Tongtong and Yan Yan are about the same age. But Yan Yan has been to Hong Kong and Macau, as well as Japan and Europe.

Fang Mingche looked at Yan Yan. In his past life, it was actually Yan Yan who envied her older sister Tongtong for being able to travel to the big city. In this life, he could finally let his little girl become someone others envied.

It was almost the Lantern Festival, and everyone flew back to the capital from Guangzhou.

Upon arriving at the airport, everyone went their separate ways to their respective homes. Fang Mingche and his family were still picked up by a van and taken back to their courtyard house. After having a meal, Fang Minghua's family returned to their small side courtyard. Fang's father, however, sat down with great interest to check the accounts for the past twenty-odd days at the guesthouse.

Fang Mingche and Lin Yan naturally stayed behind as well. They'd been gone for four weeks; not to mention, they hadn't even given out their New Year's red envelopes yet. They needed to check Gao Xiang's accounts first.

Fang Minghua and his family walked home, carrying their suitcases.

Yuan Shufen asked, "Minghua, how much did we spend on Mingche and Lin Yan for the New Year?"

Fang Minghua said, "It must cost at least a thousand." That includes round-trip airfare, as well as the cost of hotels and meals for so many days.

Yuan Shufen thought for a moment and said, "We can't repay her now, so let's try our best to be poor relatives like Granny Liu who aren't disliked."

It's a subtle way of implying that he shouldn't speak so harshly, but rather in a gentler way. Judging from Mingche and Ayan's behavior, as long as they strive to be independent and not be disliked, they shouldn't be treated unfairly.

"Ah."

Han Mei estimated that she would have a full load of gifts after get off work today. She found a bamboo basket, hung it on the back of her bicycle, and filled it with all sorts of gifts that her sister-in-law had brought back from Hong Kong, Macau, and Guangzhou for her parents-in-law and herself. It was a huge basket! Her other colleagues also had gifts, but they were just souvenirs.

During the previous Chinese New Year, my mother-in-law had mentioned that the Fang family had gone south for a warmer winter. She also said to Lin Yi, "No matter how capable your sister and brother-in-law are, according to old customs, we shouldn't go along with them at this time. We'd rather follow a beggar's son than a high-ranking official's daughter!"

The old lady, though seemingly envious, was actually quite jealous. And the fact that she complained about her son's uselessness at a time like this made the contrast all the more stark. But precisely because the contrast was so stark, it didn't provoke Lin Yi. A blade of grass doesn't envy a big tree!
However, his uncle and aunt's comment, "Your salary is only one-third of Xiaoming's," really stung him.

Lin Yi had always thought his cousin Zhu Qiming was less intelligent than him. But this cousin had actually gone to high school and now earned over a hundred yuan a month. He even had a secure job to take over for him in the future.

Han Mei told Lin Yan some good news, "After being relentlessly encouraged by those around him, Lin Yi is finally ready to take action. He wants to find a part-time job!"

Lin Yan said, "That's a good sign! If he wants to start a small business, don't stop him. You can even support him a little."

Han Mei said, "He only takes one day off a week. One day a week, no business can have repeat customers that way. Sister, he wants to work part-time as a driver for our day trip, what do you think?"

Lin Yan thought for a moment, "You're the office manager, so you're in charge of scheduling part-time staff. Do you think we're short-staffed in this area?"

Three of Mingche's fellow townsmen and clansmen had gone to Shanghai, and two remained in the capital. Adding to that the veterans recruited earlier, there was no shortage of manpower. She supported Lin Yi's ambition, but that didn't mean she would accept him just because she didn't need him.

Furthermore, even if they were to accept it, they couldn't just rush to do so as soon as he asked. It would make it seem like they were begging him to come! At least for the first tentative attempt, they should let him have his way for a bit.

If something is obtained too easily, it will not be cherished. Don't bring your factory-worked slacking-off ways to a travel agency, or try to act like a 'royal relative'.

My brother-in-law and sister-in-law run their own noodle shop. Everyone knows that the restaurant business is incredibly tiring!
Han Mei felt embarrassed. She knew perfectly well that the travel agency wasn't short of drivers these days. Even with six minivans, they weren't lacking. They had hired many people in the past two years. Even the sixth minivan they had just added already had relatives and friends of her brother-in-law join the company.

But driving is Lin Yi's only specialty.

"Then I'll go back and discuss it with him again."

When Lin Yan handed her the things, Fang Mingche asked about Gao Xiang and his wife's situation. The veteran who stayed at the guesthouse told him that Gao Xiang had found two rooms to rent nearby. The couple was taking time to pack and prepare to move in.

Upon hearing this, Fang Mingche realized that they were still planning to rent a place outside, which meant there was likely still conflict between them. Xie Ping stood up for herself this time!

However, they might need to give up one of the three rooms they have with Grandpa Gu.

After reviewing Gao Xiang's accounts and confirming they were correct, he strolled over to chat with Grandpa Gu. As for handing out red envelopes, Lin Yan, the proprietress, was more than enough.

Nowadays, fewer people watch TV in the old courtyards and side courtyards of the tenement. Around the time of the Lunar New Year, Zhu Dahai, Hu Yong, and a few others bought television sets.

Fang Mingche found Grandpa Gu, who was walking his birdcage nearby, and casually asked if the Gao family had returned the extra room they had rented.

"What, you want it? Impossible, you don't need another room these days."

That kid now owns far more houses than he did. That big courtyard house is four times the size of his old tenement house.

"Just asking casually."

Grandpa Gu said, "Xiao Gao said he wanted to move out. His mother wasn't happy and wanted them to move back, but he didn't change his mind. At least he's acting like a man now, otherwise he'd always be controlled by the women in his family. Hmm, Song Quan said he'd move out and rent instead. His Song Chi is getting more and more arrogant every day."

Fang Mingche nodded, saying that it was not appropriate for the child to live in the same room as his parents when he was older.

Grandpa Gu sighed, "When do you think I'll be able to take the whole yard back?"

One day, he also considered asking someone from the Lei family to fix it up. The courtyard was in such a sorry state that dozens of people were living there. Every time he passed by that small side courtyard and saw the Fang family living comfortably in their own separate houses, he felt a little uneasy.

It's his house, but he has no right not to rent it to those people.

Fang Mingche said, "Why don't you wait ten or eight years and see? The capital is definitely going to develop a lot."

The Asian Games will be held in 90. Before that, many bungalows will be demolished and many high-rise buildings will be built. That should be an opportunity.

Grandpa Gu said, "There's no other way. You didn't come to me just to gossip, did you?"

Fang Mingche said, "You're an old man who's very shrewd. Have you noticed that Liu Qingfeng and Geng Shan have been having some disagreements lately?"

Grandpa Gu thought for a moment, "That's true to some extent. Especially after Zhu Dahai, Hu Yong, and the others bought TVs. However, the income gap between them has widened."

On a normal month, the vegetable business would generate a profit of 10,000 yuan. Zhu Dahai owned 18% of the shares, while Hu Yong and the others each owned 13.5%. They didn't keep any money on hand for expansion; aside from some reserve funds, they divided the profits among themselves. Therefore, they each earned over 1,000 yuan a month. Zhu Dahai even earned close to 2,000 yuan.

But Liu Qingfeng and Geng Shan are still only making four or five hundred a month. So, can they maintain a balanced mindset?
The main reason is that the scrap yard hasn't reached the point where it's truly profitable yet; the monthly profit is only four to five thousand. They each only take 10%.

Huo Chen was better off; although he only earned a little over three hundred, he didn't live in a large courtyard with Zhu Dahai and Hu Yong. Compared to others in the village, his income was higher. He went to the Overseas Chinese Apartment to collect recyclables every morning, but it was inhabited by overseas Chinese and wealthy businessmen. He wouldn't compare himself to them.

Fang Mingche waited in the small courtyard for a while until Liu Qingfeng and Geng Shan returned in their tractor.

Song Quan came out and told them, "Xiao Fang is waiting for you two next door."

The two men exchanged a glance, then left without even going home. Zhu Dahai and Hu Yong's business hadn't fared well this winter due to the weather. However, they had already leased vegetable gardens and were preparing to build their own greenhouses. Next year, they figured they wouldn't be so affected.

Under these circumstances, the two of them couldn't sit still. Even if Fang Mingche didn't contact them, they would still go to him. He had said that he wouldn't let them live worse than Zhu Dahai in the future.

As they approached, Fang Mingche saw them and stood up, saying, "You haven't eaten yet, have you? Come on, let's ask Boss Cui to prepare a table for us, and we'll have a couple of drinks."

The scrap yard actually provides meals. But since they're already earning four or five hundred yuan a month, they naturally don't care about eating communal meals with the scavengers anymore. Lunch is enough for them, and they come back to eat on their own for dinner.

As he entered, Fang Mingche said to Sister-in-law Cui, "Sister-in-law, how about three dishes and a soup?"

"Great! The private room you used to frequent is empty."

After entering the room, a waiter came in to pour tea for the three of them, then closed the door and left.

Liu Qingfeng said directly, "Teacher Fang, you said you wouldn't let us live worse than Zhu Dahai. He's getting 1800 in dividends a month now. As for the two of us, we only get 500 when business is good, and we haven't even broken 600 yet."

"It's been so cold for Zhu Dahai and his family these past two months; their vegetables aren't growing and their chickens aren't laying eggs. They haven't had any income yet."

Geng Shan said, "But they earn 18,000 yuan a year for ten months. We can only manage 6,000."

Six thousand is actually a lot, almost ten times that of his peers in the factory. But in this large, crowded compound, Zhu Dahai was the one who betrayed Teacher Fang and Teacher Lin to go out and work independently. Especially since Teacher Fang had promised they wouldn't be worse off than Zhu Dahai.

Liu Qingfeng added, "They're discussing renting a farm to grow greenhouse vegetables. If this really goes well, we won't have to take a two-month break next winter."

Fang Mingche said, "But the upper limit for a scrap yard is very high. You guys do the math, from when we opened in September 1979 until now, haven't our profits been skyrocketing?"

Liu Qingfeng and Geng Shan thought about it and agreed. At first, they earned over 2000 a month, including the vegetable business. Now, even excluding the vegetable business, they still made four or five thousand.

"The vegetable business is only so big. The only solution they can come up with is to build a greenhouse to grow vegetables. Besides our area, can they expect people from other districts to come and buy their vegetables? But the waste recycling business is growing bigger and bigger. With the development of industry in the past two years, there is more and more waste being discarded."

Liu Qingfeng and Geng Shan were still not very willing. Wasn't this just like trying to quench thirst with plums or drawing a pie in the sky?
"Then, can we increase our profit-sharing ratio?"

(End of this chapter)