Even in high heels, Huang Lizhen felt utterly listless, as if she were dreaming.
"Ow, it hurts, not a dream."
It wasn't until she pinched her thigh hard, and the pain surged, that she finally felt at ease.
"Gurgle gurgle."
But just as she settled her anxious heart, her stomach began to protest again.
Huang Lizhen let out a wry smile. Fortunately, Chen Yang and the others had already checked into the hotel. Otherwise, if they heard this, she'd want to disappear into the ground.
"There's still a bread roll in the office, I'll go grab it!"
However, the thought that the thirty thousand yuan in her hand would soon turn into twenty thousand US dollars instantly filled her with renewed motivation.
"Steward Liu, I'm sorry to bother you so late. I've already contacted Mr. Chen from the mainland. I wonder when Old Zhou will be free?"
Huang Lizhen carefully held the receiver, afraid that a single wrong word would anger the esteemed Steward of the Zhou residence on the other end.
Though he was just a servant, his word sometimes carried more weight than that of a millionaire. It was all thanks to his prominent master.
"Miss Huang, your call is quite timely. The master couldn't sleep and was just sitting on the sofa reading the newspaper. Normally, you'd have to wait until tomorrow for me to ask him and get back to you."
Steward Liu chuckled. Huang Lizhen's heart pounded. Today was truly her lucky day; it was the first time she'd called and Mr. Zhou himself answered.
The second time she called, Steward Liu answered, and Mr. Zhou happened to be right beside him.
"Old Liu, tomorrow it is. Have Little Huang bring that mainland kid along to Po Chai Bay for dim sum."
Hearing the not-so-loud voice from the phone, Huang Lizhen was so excited she could have jumped. It was Mr. Zhou's voice.
Her thirty thousand yuan for twenty thousand US dollars should be secure!
"Miss Huang, the master has spoken. Tomorrow, he invites our guest from the mainland for dim sum at Po Chai Bay."
Steward Liu quickly conveyed Mr. Zhou's wishes, and Huang Lizhen's face flushed with excitement.
"Thank you, Steward Liu. Please rest assured, I will personally accompany Mr. Chen tomorrow and arrive on time."
"If Mr. Zhou has any questions, I will answer them without reservation. I heard from Mr. Chen that he has traveled to many provinces in the mainland and has some insights."
Huang Lizhen suppressed her inner excitement as she replied to Steward Liu.
"Good. Old Liu, tomorrow, exchange the thirty thousand yuan Miss Huang has. I appreciate her work style."
Huang Lizhen only vaguely heard Mr. Zhou's voice on the other end of the phone. Even though the call was hung up, Huang Lizhen was so happy she bounced up and down.
"Tsim Sha Tsui, oh Tsim Sha Tsui. A big house, oh a big house."
Huang Lizhen forgot about her bread and started dancing in the room.
"Mr. Zhou values the mainland so much. Could it be that there are real opportunities for development there?"
After her initial joy, Huang Lizhen lay on the office sofa, her mind buzzing with possibilities.
This exchange would earn her a pure profit of 120,000 Hong Kong dollars, enough to settle down in Tsim Sha Tsui.
But to live a life of comfort and ease from then on, she still had a long way to go.
That's human nature. When you can't afford to eat, you just want to eat without starving. When you don't have a house, you want to buy one. Once you satisfy the basic material needs, new desires emerge.
The reason why some people become influential figures is naturally due to their unique qualities. Speaking of which, with Mr. Zhou's wealth, even a little bit he casually let slip would be enough for ordinary folks like them to live in prosperity for a lifetime.
Huang Lizhen was not someone easily satisfied. She also aspired to be a person of standing and live a wealthy life.
"Tomorrow, I'll see the situation. If there are real development opportunities in the mainland, I must seize them. Even if I just follow along to broaden my horizons."
"I just hope Mr. Zhou won't mind and will let me tag along."
Huang Lizhen felt a bit uneasy. With Mr. Zhou's status, not everyone could catch his eye.
As she thought, Chen Yang's image reappeared in her mind. That man from the mainland, refined and amiable, like a noble young master.
From her perspective, such a person was either wealthy or noble. Even if his achievements were modest now, he was a hidden dragon poised to soar, destined for great fortune in the future.
"If Mr. Zhou is unwilling to take me, I can always beg Mr. Chen for help. Following him, I'm sure I can make money."
Huang Lizhen had other qualities, but she was bold.
If she weren't bold, she wouldn't have dared to borrow money at high interest to exchange for Chen Yang's mainland currency.
Now, seeing Mr. Zhou's actions, she sensed a vast potential business opportunity in the mainland. How could she be willing to miss it? This was a chance to change her destiny.
From a farmer's daughter in a fishing village to an employee at HSBC, earning 120,000 Hong Kong dollars from one transaction...
Greater rewards come with greater risks. This was a truth Huang Lizhen had learned through experience.
She had experienced poverty, so she knew better than anyone how precious a chance to change one's fate was.
Chen Yang was unaware that Huang Lizhen had already set her sights on him. He was troubled. If he were to do business in Hong Kong, he needed people of his own there.
Otherwise, once he returned, the reception and delivery of goods, collecting payments from these bosses, and daily communication would all be problems.
Despite securing so many orders now, if these matters weren't handled properly, the business would falter.
Take the most basic aspect, collecting the final payment. Without delivering the goods, those wholesale bosses would absolutely not pay the final installment.
And when needing to place additional orders, there had to be someone to contact.
As they were not local residents of Hong Kong, even with their permits, they could only stay for fifteen days. Therefore, he had to develop partners in Hong Kong who could assist him with these tasks.
Initially, Mr. Zhou was a good choice. The Zhou family had operated in Hong Kong for many years, their influence deeply entrenched. No one dared to default on the Zhou family's debts. With the Zhou family backing him, Chen Yang's credibility as a mainland businessman would also increase.
However, Mr. Zhou's status was too high. Chen Yang now was like a small ant before him. How could an ant cooperate with an elephant? The gap was too vast.
"Brother, if you ask me, why not find that Miss Huang? Look at her, she came barefoot to negotiate for business. You can tell she's willing to work hard."
In the room, Zhang Weiyang boldly offered his suggestion. He knew Chen Yang's worries; as the business grew, manpower was essential.
Even he had trained a group of people in Jinling and Shanghai. Otherwise, if he came to Hong Kong now without these people to support him, business would be in chaos.
"You brat, are you just talking because she's pretty?"
"Sister-in-law is pregnant. You better not have any improper thoughts, or you'll be letting her down."
Chen Yang glared at Zhang Weiyang exasperatedly. In his previous life, this kid was devoted solely to his wife. This life, because of Chen Yang's appearance, he hadn't suffered as much, and his father was also alive and well.
Chen Yang was also worried that Zhang Weiyang's thoughts might waver!