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Chapter 394: He Bin's Thoughts
Chapter 394: He Bin's Thoughts
The Ding family resided in Yixian, a neighboring province, over 200 kilometers away from Si Jiucheng. In the future, with high-speed rail, this distance could be covered in a little over two hours. But for now, the journey was arduous and winding, and it took Lu Jiaxin and her team more than six hours to reach their destination, departing in the early morning and arriving in the afternoon.
Lu Jiaxin felt like her bones had been shaken apart by the bumpy ride, and she regretted not taking the train instead. Fortunately, according to the feng shui master's calculations, the tomb relocation was scheduled for the next day, so they checked into a local guesthouse in the county for the night.
Miao Na, expecting her boss to be uncomfortable with the humble accommodations, was surprised to see Lu Jiaxin head off to the public bathhouse with her clothes and washbasin without so much as a frown.
After a refreshing shower and drying her hair, Lu Jiaxin retired for the night. When she woke up, He Bin paid her a visit to inform her that two officials had arrived. They had intended to meet with her to discuss additional donations but were turned away by He Bin.
"Boss, I know you don't enjoy dealing with them," He Bin explained. "I told them that the journey had been too bumpy and that you needed rest and were unavailable to receive guests."
Given Lu Jiaxin's status as their boss and the fact that she had already donated a substantial sum, it wasn't unusual for her to decline a meeting. Furthermore, having spent a considerable time in the mainland, He Bin understood the posturing and formalities these officials often engaged in. He knew that someone of Lu Jiaxin's age and background would likely find such interactions tedious and potentially unpleasant, so it was best to avoid any potential discord. However, as they still needed the officials' cooperation, a polite excuse was necessary.
Lu Jiaxin nodded and asked, "Will they send someone to accompany me to Dingjia Village tomorrow?"
He Bin smiled and nodded. "The captain who came today, Captain Du, promised to personally lead a team to accompany us to Dingjia Village tomorrow."
Upon hearing this, Lu Jiaxin realized that Captain Du was from the Public Security Bureau. With their presence, she need not worry about the Ding family colluding with the villagers to obstruct her tomb relocation plans.
He Bin had efficiently arranged everything regarding the tomb relocation, and Lu Jiaxin's only task for tomorrow was to play the role of a dutiful granddaughter.
After finalizing the arrangements, He Bin hesitated before continuing, "Boss, I want to resign from my position at Xin Xin Real Estate and stay in Si Jiucheng to help you with antique and artwork acquisitions."
Lu Jiaxin was taken aback by this unexpected request and asked, "Why?"
He Bin shared his thoughts, "Boss, I believe the mainland market is vast, and I'm certain you'll want to establish a company here eventually. While I'm here, I can not only source antiques and artwork but also assist with your family matters and expand our network of connections, which will be beneficial in the future."
Lu Jiaxin's impression of He Bin shifted; his willingness to leave a high-paying position in favor of the mainland opportunity demonstrated boldness and foresight. Many in Hong Kong, even ordinary citizens, looked down on the mainland, yet He Bin saw the potential.
"What if I don't plan on returning to open a company?" she challenged.
He Bin was adamant. "No, boss. You're from the mainland, and the changes and developments here must have left a deeper impression on you than on me. At most, it will take three years for Green Forest to enter the mainland market."
"Green Forest caters to the mid-to-high-end market," Lu Jiaxin pointed out. "Even if we decide to expand into the mainland, it won't be that soon."
He Bin assured her that he was willing to wait.
Lu Jiaxin smiled and shared, "I'm currently preparing to open a jewelry company with Nie Zhan next month. If all goes well, we should be looking at expanding into the mainland market within three years."
He Bin's instincts had been correct; he knew she wouldn't ignore the mainland market, but he had assumed it would be in the fashion industry, not jewelry!
"He Bin, in your opinion, what industry in the mainland market holds the most development potential?" Lu Jiaxin inquired.
He Bin predicted that as people's living standards improved, there would be a heightened demand for better food, clothing, housing, and transportation. As a result, industries like food, apparel, real estate, and others would experience significant growth and promising prospects.
He Bin continued, "Women naturally love beauty, Boss. Not only jewelry, but skincare and makeup will also be very popular in the future."
"That's right," he added, "with the one-child policy in place, couples can only have one child. Inheritance is important in the mainland, and with only one child, parents will definitely want to give them the best. There's a huge market for infant products like milk powder, children's clothing, and diapers."
Lu Jiaxin smiled at his insight and asked, "So, you've got some ideas brewing, huh? Lay them on me."
Prior to this, He Bin hadn't given it much thought, but after their conversation, an idea began to crystallize in his mind. "Boss," he said, "I've been in the mainland for quite some time now, and I've noticed that there are only department stores and small shops around. There's usually only one department store in each area, and the small shops don't offer a wide range of products. Boss, I think opening a supermarket in the mainland would be very profitable."
Lu Jiaxin appreciated that he had made good use of his multiple trips to the mainland and truly considered the opportunities there. "Which project are you more inclined towards?" she asked.
"Of course, I'd prefer the real estate project," He Bin replied with a smile.
Lu Jiaxin shook her head. "The real estate market in the mainland does have great potential, but only the four special economic zones are currently open to it. Other cities haven't fully opened up yet. Based on my speculation, it will take at least a decade for the real estate market to truly take off."
He Bin understood. With Lu Jiaxin's prediction, she obviously wasn't considering real estate at the moment. Even if they wanted to lay the groundwork, they would have to wait at least five or six years.
Since real estate was out of the question, and jewelry and cosmetics weren't his forte, He Bin thought it over and expressed his interest in retail, specifically opening a supermarket.
"Opening a supermarket is a great idea, but do you know how to manage one?" Lu Jiaxin asked.
He Bin didn't think it would be too difficult. If he didn't know how to manage it, he could always learn and then hire someone with management experience.
Lu Jiaxin was well aware that the retail industry used to be extremely lucrative before the rise of e-commerce. She affirmed He Bin's idea and asked him to come up with a feasible plan. Of course, opening a supermarket wasn't a simple task, and there were many intricacies involved. She would need to discuss this with Nie Zhan when she returned.
Reflecting on her past life, where irregular meals and frequent all-nighters had led to late-stage gastric cancer at the age of thirty, Lu Jiaxin was determined not to push herself that hard again. If Nie Zhan was willing to take on the project, she would invest in it and wait for her share of the profits. If he wasn't interested, she would find another investor.
He Bin happily agreed and assured her that he would get started on it as soon as they returned.
Remembering Shan Zi's words, Lu Jiaxin instructed He Bin, "After we get back from Rong County, buy a storefront near the department store residential compound."
Originally, Lu Shan was supposed to accompany her to Rong County, but last night, Gou Sheng had a high fever and had to be hospitalized. Given the situation, Lu Jiaxin didn't allow him to come along.
He Bin understood immediately and smiled. "Boss, Lu Shan is one lucky guy."
Not only would he be adopted into the third branch and get a set of rooms, but now he would also receive a storefront. One had to admit that Lu Jiachong and his wife were quite calculating.
Lu Jiaxin wanted Lu Shan to be adopted into the third branch so that he wouldn't be able to share in the wealth and assets accumulated by Lu Jiachong. Otherwise, Lu Yun and Lu Tao would surely object. Lu Shan met her expectations in every way, and she didn't want this honest man to be at a disadvantage, so buying him a storefront was a way to make it up to him.
(Last paragraph is author's notes, not part of the story)
(End of Chapter)
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