Xie Sui’s return, accompanied by Du Feiyang, a young master from Hong Kong, drew the attention of many in the county town. Not only the Yan family but also county leaders like Secretary Liu were eager for Hong Kong investment.
The next morning, numerous invitations arrived. Du Feiyang was surprised by his popularity and pleased, finding the mainlanders quite enthusiastic.
"Brother Xie, whose invitation should we accept?"
Xie Sui suggested, "Why don't we host a small banquet ourselves and invite all the prominent figures? It'll be my treat. Though the county town is small, it's my hometown, and I want to contribute something to it."
Du Feiyang agreed to whatever Xie Sui planned, finding it a good idea to have everyone gather together.
That evening, Xie Sui booked out the entire state-run restaurant and sent out invitations. This was unprecedented in the county town, and those who received them felt honored, as dining with leaders held a special significance. (Sudan Novel Network)
Xie Sui arrived at the restaurant early. Instead of a traditional Chinese banquet, he opted for a Western-style buffet. After all, the guests weren't there primarily for the food but for networking. This was more fashionable, reflecting his experiences in Hong Kong.
The restaurant's head chef was impressed with Xie Sui's idea, finding it clean and sophisticated. He thought other banquets could adopt this style in the future. A trend of worshipping foreign things had already begun, where anything foreign was perceived as superior, boosting one's status, while many good local products were overlooked.
Lin Wanwan accompanied him for the social gathering. She hadn't wanted to come, but Xie Sui wanted to maximize his time with his wife, planning to return early after the event, leaving Du Feiyang to handle the rest. Du Feiyang, unaware he'd been "sold out" again, found the simple setting uninspiring after experiencing the glitz of Hong Kong.
Yan Xiaoliang arrived with his father. He had also brought his new wife, not Zhao Xuefei, but a university student named Yang Na. She was attractive with slender eyes and a hint of arrogance, not Xie Sui's preferred type.
"Brother Xie, you've changed so much in a few months! This is my wife, Yang Na. You weren't home for our wedding, so you must have a drink with us to celebrate."
Xie Sui graciously replied, "We'll have that drink now. My compliments to you, sister-in-law. You're a lucky find, young man. Treat her well."
"Absolutely."
Yang Na glanced at Lin Wanwan and greeted her, "Hello, sister-in-law."
"Hello. Come have some juice. I'm pregnant and can't join you for drinks."
Yang Na's eyes lit up. "Pregnant again? How many months?"
"Not yet six months. Twins. They're making me look quite large."
"Really? Sister-in-law, you're so fortunate…"
The two women chatted about children. Yang Na noticed that despite her pregnancy, Lin Wanwan remained beautiful, without swelling, freckles, or excessive weight gain. Except for her belly, she barely looked pregnant. Adorned with a gold necklace, watch, and earrings, she exuded an air of wealth. Yang Na felt a pang of envy, wondering why she hadn't met such a man early on, considering Xie Sui, a man from humble beginnings, had built a business larger than Yan Xiaoliang's.
Du Feiyang chatted with them, somewhat distracted. The arrogance of the Hong Kong young master commanded more respect, and they found it natural rather than rude.
Next came Secretary Liu and other leaders, accompanied by managers from the county's food, plastic, and machinery factories. Xie Sui greeted them warmly, recognizing them as old friends who had helped him. Of course, there were also unpleasant encounters, but he chose to set them aside for now, welcoming everyone as friends.
The lively event concluded with guests marveling at the novel banquet style. They mingled in small groups, chatting and laughing, while the melodious sound of the violin created a pleasant atmosphere. Xie Sui and Du Feiyang accompanied Secretary Liu and his group, sharing anecdotes from Hong Kong.
"Xie Sui, I truly didn't expect your business to flourish to this extent. You're an entrepreneur from our county who has made it big. In just two years, a young man from the countryside, with no background, has achieved all this. It's truly remarkable!"
Xie Sui replied gratefully, "It's also thanks to your help, Secretary Liu. I wouldn't be where I am today without you and the other leaders. I'd like to propose a toast to all of you. I'll drink first!"
"Let's raise our glasses together. From now on, we'll be calling you Mr. Xie. I wonder if this small county can keep Mr. Xie."
Xie Sui responded, "No matter what business I'm in, this is my hometown, my roots. How could it not keep me?"
After the toast, Secretary Liu asked Xie Sui to stay for a private chat. The others surrounded Du Feiyang, inquiring about Hong Kong. Du Feiyang's colorful descriptions elicited gasps of amazement.
Meanwhile, Secretary Liu wanted to discuss the future development of the county and explore investment opportunities to boost its economy. Xie Sui, prepared, asked, "Secretary Liu, are you looking to do something significant? For officials, the greatest achievements lie in industry and benefiting the people. Besides factories, there's something else very important."
"What is it?"
"Housing, real estate!"
Xie Sui still favored his old path of real estate; it was just too profitable.
"Real estate? Land is all state-owned now. Although houses can be bought and sold freely, you mean building houses and selling them? To whom? Factories already provide housing. There's no precedent for selling land for residential purposes!"
Xie Sui countered, "Are the houses provided by factories even considered housing? They're like pigeon cages. When I was in Hong Kong, the most striking thing was its advanced commerce and various developments. I learned a lot. I also spent some time in Shenzhen, where they're already experimenting. The sale of commodity housing will begin soon. The government selling land can improve the county's infrastructure and plan for better living environments, benefiting the people! Isn't that the greatest achievement?"
Secretary Liu frowned. "This is too forward-thinking; it'll be difficult to implement."
Xie Sui suggested, "You could go to Shenzhen to learn. Regarding investment, it's negotiable. Whatever investment you think is needed, I'll discuss it with Young Master Du. Millions, tens of millions, it's just a word from him."
"Really?"
"When have I ever lied to you?" Xie Sui had earned billions in the stock market; he could easily spend a hundred million on hometown development without any issue.
Meanwhile, Du Feiyang was describing the brutal nature of the stock market, how many people were losing their fortunes, leaving them pale. Yan Xiaoliang interjected, "But some people get rich overnight, right? If you pick the right stock, you can multiply your investment overnight."
Du Feiyang replied, "When the stock market crashes, everything turns red. No stock survives. How can you make money then? Without luck or skill, don't dabble in the stock market. Even I don't dare to touch it. I have Brother Xie manage it for me. Brother Xie is a stock god; so many people beg him to help them pick stocks."
"Him? Impossible." The crowd didn't believe it. How could Xie Sui, who hadn't even finished high school and was considered a hoodlum, be a stock god?