Chapter 405: A Millionaire Tycoon is Truly Different

Chapter 405: A Millionaire Tycoon is Truly Different

Guangzhou.

The Zhou Family.

It was the weekend, and the Zhou family had invited the Deng family father and daughter over for dinner. The old man's son, daughter-in-law, daughter, and son-in-law were all present.

In the kitchen, Zhou Mother was cooking with her eldest daughter Zhou Haiqiong, third daughter Zhou Haiyan, youngest daughter Zhou Hailu, and her second daughter-in-law.

The Zhou family's ranking system included both sons and daughters together. If they were ranked separately, the third daughter would be the second daughter, and the second daughter-in-law would be the eldest daughter-in-law.

In the living room, the old man Zhou, his eldest son-in-law Qin Gang, second son Zhou Haimin, and fourth son Zhou Haidong were drinking tea and chatting.

Qin Gang looked at Zhou Haidong, his brother-in-law, and said, "Haidong, the girl your father found for you is truly remarkable. She bought a 560,000 RMB shop without hesitation. Her financial strength is truly astonishing, far surpassing your cousin who runs a hotpot restaurant."

Zhou Haidong also said with some amazement, "I didn't expect her to be so wealthy."

The old man Zhou said, "It's not surprising if you think about it. She runs a hotpot restaurant in Nanning that covers two to three thousand square meters. When they invited us to eat there, we saw that the business was thriving. It's normal for her to be more profitable than Ah Qiang's hotpot restaurant."

Zhou Haimin said, "Our family is about to have a big boss, a millionaire tycoon."

Zhou Haidong said, "Brother, it's too early to say that. We don't know if it will work out yet!"

Qin Gang laughed and said, "Haidong, stop being modest. If the girl didn't like you, would her father have asked your father to help look for a shop and plan to open a hotpot restaurant in Guangzhou? This is clearly for the future."

The old man Zhou took a sip of tea and said, "Haidong, I like this daughter-in-law. Her father also thinks you're good, and Ah Zhu's impression of you should be positive. As long as you don't make any mistakes, this match is almost certain."

Hearing his father say this, Zhou Haidong couldn't help but chuckle. Since returning from Nanning, he had been actively calling and writing to Deng Yunzhu, and he could naturally feel whether she was interested in him.

Actually, whether or not two people are interested in each other can be discerned by anyone with normal intelligence after some time together.

And for those in arranged marriages, it's even easier to tell, as both parties are aiming for marriage from the start.

...

Hotel.

Deng Yunzhu asked, "Dad, what does it mean for us to go to their house for dinner? Is it to inspect the family?"

Deng Shirong said, "Just consider it as inspecting the family. Your match with Haidong was arranged by me and his father, without a professional matchmaker. So, the formalities are simplified, and this step is either skipped or downplayed."

Deng Yunzhu pondered and said, "Dad, since they're inviting us to dinner, the whole family will be there. Should I get my hair done and dress up a bit?"

Deng Shirong waved his hand and said, "No need, you look fine as you are."

Deng Yunzhu said, "What should we bring as gifts?"

Deng Shirong said, "I've already prepared everything. It's not early anymore, so let's go!"

Deng Yunzhu said, "Okay!"

...

When Deng Shirong and his daughter arrived at the Zhou family's house around 10:30 AM, the formal introductions and greetings were skipped. As they sat down to drink tea, Deng Shirong and his daughter also took a look around the house.

The Zhou family lived in a welfare apartment provided by the Procuratorate. Currently, only Zhou Father, Zhou Mother, Zhou Haidong, and Zhou Hailu lived there, while the other children lived in welfare apartments provided by their respective units.

It is well-known that the living conditions in welfare apartments are generally not as good as commercial apartments. Zhou Father was a director-level official before retirement, and the welfare apartment he received was considered quite good, with three bedrooms, a living room, and kitchen and bathroom facilities. In this era, it was already enviable.

However, the size was not large, and the decoration was ordinary. For Deng Shirong and his daughter, who were used to living in high-end neighborhoods like the Deng Family Compound in Baise and the Five Peaks Plaza, the living conditions here were rather average and unremarkable.

After some polite conversation, Deng Shirong looked at Qin Gang and said, "Captain Qin, thank you for helping my daughter find such a good shop."

Qin Gang smiled and said, "Uncle Ji, you're too kind. It was just a small favor. I didn't expect Ah Zhu to buy the shop outright. No wonder she's a big boss; she's got the courage."

Deng Yunzhu smiled and said, "Captain Qin, you flatter me. I'm not a big boss."

Qin Haiyan smiled and said, "Ah Zhu, you're too modest. A 560,000 RMB shop can be bought without hesitation. If that doesn't count as a big boss, then there are probably very few people in the country who can be called big bosses."

Deng Shirong said, "Speaking of which, I must thank Captain Qin again. The value of this shop will likely double in a few years."

Qin Gang was surprised and said, "Uncle Ji, you're so confident in this shop?"

"I'm not confident in the shop, but in the development of Guangzhou."

Deng Shirong smiled and said, "Guangzhou is at the forefront of reform and opening up. As locals, you must have felt the changes in the city over the past few years. In the future, whether it's housing or shops, the prices will keep rising, even doubling or tripling is not surprising."

"If you have spare money, you can try to buy some shops or even residential properties. As long as you buy them, you will eventually make a big profit."

When Zhou Lao tou and Deng Shirong met for the first time, they talked from morning till night, and Zhou Lao tou was very impressed by Deng Shirong's insights and foresight. Moreover, Guangzhou had indeed changed quite a bit over the past few years, and perhaps the prices of shops and houses would indeed appreciate as he said.

Thinking about this, Zhou Lao tou nodded and said, "Uncle Ji, your insight is remarkable. Since you say that the prices of shops and houses will appreciate, I'll keep an eye out for good opportunities. If I find suitable small shops or houses, I'll buy them."

Deng Shirong smiled and said, "Don't worry, buying them will definitely be profitable."

He was absolutely certain of this. In the 1990s in Guangzhou, buying properties and shops without hesitation was a surefire way to make money, regardless of the price.

Deng Yunzhu had absolute trust in her father's judgment. Hearing him say this, she excitedly said, "Dad, since you're so optimistic about the properties and shops in Guangzhou, should I buy more to let them appreciate?"

Deng Shirong replied, "Of course, you should buy more, but there's no need to rush. First, focus on setting up the hotpot restaurant in Guangzhou."

Hearing this, the Zhou family members were all taken aback. From the tone of Deng Yunzhu's words, it was clear that she had a significant amount of funds at her disposal. A millionaire tycoon was truly different.

The conversation then turned to casual topics. The Zhou family members, all government employees, had a breadth of knowledge that was not common among ordinary people. They could engage in conversation on almost any topic, and Deng Shirong, with his memories from his previous life, had even more unique insights.

Both sides chatted very pleasantly.

While everyone was chatting, Zhou Haidong also sat next to Deng Yunzhu, and they naturally had their own topics to discuss.

Around 11:30 AM, Zhou Mother and the others finally finished preparing the meal.

They made authentic Cantonese dishes, and the tastes of the two provinces were similar. Although Zhou Mother and her daughters-in-law were not professional chefs, they each had their own specialties. Together, they managed to prepare a decent spread.

Cantonese people are famous for their love of soup, so it was common for the women to be skilled at making a good soup. Drinking soup before the meal is also a common practice in most parts of the two provinces.

Therefore, before the meal, the Zhou family warmly served a bowl of soup to Deng Shirong and his daughter.

Zhou Lao tou said, "Uncle Ji, Ah Zhu, this black chicken soup is my wife's specialty. Try it and see how it tastes."

"Sure, I'll try it."

Deng Yunzhu took a spoonful and tasted it, then praised, "This soup is so fresh and fragrant. Your cooking skills are really excellent, Mother."

Zhou Mother beamed with pride, "Ah Zhu, if you like it, have more."

Deng Yunzhu replied, "Sure, I'll definitely have more."

The meal was a pleasant one, with both guests and hosts enjoying themselves.

Deng Yunzhu had a high emotional quotient. Although the dishes prepared by the Zhou family were not comparable to those made by her father, she still praised them and the soup profusely, making the Zhou family women very happy.

After the meal, Deng Shirong and his daughter stayed for about half an hour to drink tea before bidding farewell.

As they watched the Deng family leave, Qin Gang, who worked at the Public Security Bureau, was the first to praise, "Uncle Ji is indeed as knowledgeable as Dad said. And Ah Zhu, being such a successful businesswoman, is no less skilled in social interaction than people in the government sector!"

Zhou Haiqiong echoed, "The garlic ribs I made weren't that great, but she, being such a big boss, still praised them so sincerely. She really knows how to speak well!"

Zhou Haiyan patted her fourth brother's shoulder and sighed, "Haidong, you've really found a gem this time!"

The others also joined in the praise, and the visit of Deng Shirong and his daughter left a good first impression on the Zhou family.

Zhou Haidong chuckled, feeling proud that his potential partner had won the approval of his entire family.

...

Deng Shirong did not stay in Guangzhou for long. After having a meal at the Zhou family's house, he had tea with Old Zhou and Old Huang the next day and then took a bus back to Nanning.

He did not visit his youngest son at Sun Yat-sen Medical University, mainly because the time apart was not long, and Guangzhou was not far from Nanning, making it convenient to visit. Unlike his second and third sons, who were far away in Beijing, where it was much harder to see them.

As for Deng Yunzhu, she stayed in Guangzhou to find people to renovate her hotpot restaurant.

Deng Shirong, concerned for her safety, even called back to Nanning and arranged for two security personnel to come over.

The Zhou family, being well-connected in various industries, naturally helped Deng Yunzhu find a reliable renovation team for her hotpot restaurant.

During the renovation period, Zhou Haidong, whenever he had free time outside of work, came over to help and court Deng Yunzhu with great enthusiasm.

As the time they spent together increased, their feelings naturally grew stronger. Using the relationship terminology from the future, they could be considered a couple. However, the relationship between couples in this era was not as casual as in the future. In the future, once a couple was formed, it was rare for them not to sleep together, and many couples even chose to cohabit before marriage.

In this era, although there were couples who secretly indulged in such activities, it was clearly impossible for something like that to happen with Deng Yunzhu.

Deng Shirong returned to Nanning, where his in-laws and his eldest sister-in-law were still staying. They had come to stay for a while this time.

Both the mother and daughter from the Gu family were enthusiasts of the card game "Upgrade." Deng Shirong accompanied them every day, playing the game with them. His partner was his second daughter-in-law, and with his superb skills, she played with confidence and ease, almost always winning when they had good cards.

Another round ended, and Gu Caiwei spread her cards, laughing loudly, "Six points, Mom, Sister, you lost again!"

Gu Caisu widened her eyes and said, "Caiwei, how did you get so good all of a sudden!"

Gu Caiwei laughed heartily and said, "Sister, now you know how good I am. When I team up with Dad, we are unbeatable."

Gu Mother looked at Deng Shirong and exclaimed, "Father-in-law, we know Caiwei's level, but when she plays with you, it's like she's a different person. Your card skills are truly amazing."

Deng Shirong smiled and said, "Mother-in-law, Caiwei is also very good at playing cards."

Gu Mother's heart stirred, and she said, "Father-in-law, if you ever go to Wuhan, let Old Gu take you to play cards with his leaders. They also really enjoy playing 'Upgrade.'"

Deng Shirong was not surprised by this. In his previous life, his third son often accompanied his leaders to play "Upgrade." As mentioned before, "Upgrade" was one of the few card games that could be extremely entertaining even without betting, and it naturally became popular among officials.

Especially from the 1990s to the early 21st century, almost every unit in Bobai County enjoyed playing "Upgrade."

Since "Upgrade" was a popular card game nationwide, it was not surprising that his in-laws' leaders also enjoyed it.

Being able to play cards with leaders and make them happy had significant benefits, which anyone in the know would understand.

Without mentioning anything else, just a little help at the right moment could be immensely beneficial.

Therefore, when he heard Gu Mother say this, Deng Shirong hinted, "Mother-in-law, if you need it, just let me know. I can certainly cooperate with him."

Hearing such a clear hint, Gu Mother naturally understood and said with a smile, "Thank you, Father-in-law."

Deng Shirong replied, "We are family, no need to be so formal."

...

Gu Mother and her daughter stayed in Nanning for nearly a month before flying back to Wuhan.

During this month, Deng Shirong's young nephew, Bu Xiaoshi, and his wife, Yan Shuwen, also came to Nanning to develop their business. They followed their uncle's advice and planned to open a beauty salon in Nanning. They had already rented a shop and were currently renovating it.

The couple naturally stayed at their uncle's house. When Yan Shuwen first saw the super-luxurious mansion, she was amazed. Even in the future, such a luxurious mansion would be breathtaking, and in this era, it was even more impressive.

The development of the Deng Family Group was also extremely rapid. First, the sales of instant noodles continued to increase, with daily sales exceeding 5 million packets, making it the most profitable business of the Deng Family Group so far.

Secondly, the sales of eight-treasure porridge also improved significantly. Although the Deng Family Group did not invest heavily in advertising, the eight-treasure porridge, branded with the Master Kong label, quickly gained popularity.

This success was partly due to the fact that Master Kong's canned eight-treasure porridge was a significant innovation. Previously, eight-treasure porridge was sold in sweet shops or sold as raw materials for customers to cook at home.

Master Kong's canned eight-treasure porridge, which could be eaten immediately after purchase, was extremely convenient and appealed to a wide range of customers, including men, women, and children. Currently, it was selling over 300,000 cans per day, bringing in substantial profits for the Deng Family Group.

Then there was Master Kong's iced black tea, which was also promoted through the instant noodle sales channels. Due to its affordable price, it quickly gained popularity among customers, and its sales were steadily increasing.

The Huangjia Yue mooncakes also had average sales this year, but customer feedback was positive, and sales were expected to improve next year.

Additionally, the water source base in Thousand Island Lake was under active construction.

Finally, the Deng Family Real Estate was no longer a small-scale operation but had been organized into a professional team. They were currently constructing the headquarters of the Deng Family Group, and once this was completed, they planned to officially enter the real estate development market.

The first residential complex that Deng Shirong had selected was in Guangzhou.

...

Nanning Architectural Design Institute.

Deng Shirong was looking at the design effect created by Director Huang.

Over the past few years, Director Huang and Deng Shirong had collaborated multiple times, and Director Huang was extremely familiar with Deng Shirong's preferences. The design of the night market street that he created was highly satisfactory to Deng Shirong.

This night market street still adhered to an ancient style design. However, this ancient style did not mean the absence of modern elements. Instead, it used ancient style as the core element, much like a dish that, regardless of how its appearance changes, always retains its original flavor.

The design of the night market street was similar in this way. It could incorporate modern decorations, but when viewed as a whole, it would still exude an ancient charm.

If the decoration style also adopted an ancient theme, it would truly be a blend of ancient and modern elegance.

Deng Shirong's intention behind this design was for the future. Now, by building this night market street and renting the shops to merchants, even if he did not specify, the merchants would likely choose modern decorations.

Modern decorations would benefit the initial development of the night market.

As time progressed and the decorations aged, they could be renovated to an ancient style, which would undoubtedly make this night market street a national sensation.

After reviewing the design renderings of the night market street, Deng Shirong praised, "Director Huang, your design skills have become even stronger. In the field of ancient style design, there are probably very few who can match you nationwide."

Director Huang smiled and said, "Mr. Deng, you flatter me. I'm glad you're satisfied."

"I am very satisfied. It has been a pleasant collaboration."

"Indeed, it has been a pleasant collaboration."

...

As the saying goes, "No need to let the benefits flow to outsiders." Since the Deng Family Real Estate had already formed a professional team, Deng Shirong naturally did not entrust the construction project of the night market street to anyone else. Instead, he assigned it to the Deng Family Real Estate.

Of course, the project was contracted, and he adhered to the principle of separating public and private interests. Deng Shirong would not use his position to seek personal gain.

...

Unbeknownst to many, the year 1990 was coming to an end, and 1991 was about to begin.

In January 1991, a major event that would shock the world was about to unfold, and this event would have a profound impact on our country.

This major event was none other than the Gulf War, hailed as the first high-tech war in human history.

In the previous life, before the Gulf War, although the United States was one of the two superpowers in the world and was soon to become the sole superpower, to be honest, many countries, including our own, had doubts about the U.S.'s combat capabilities.

After all, the U.S. had suffered military setbacks in Korea and Vietnam, and at the time, Iraq was not an easy opponent, possessing formidable military strength.

The world was watching the U.S. with amusement, and the majority of countries believed that if the U.S. launched a full-scale attack, Iraq's military strength would allow it to hold out for at least a year.

However, all the countries were proven wrong. After the Gulf War erupted, the U.S. demonstrated its overwhelming power, delivering a harsh lesson to the world.

From the deployment of forces to the end of the war, the U.S. Army took only 100 hours to completely annihilate the Iraqi army. The outcome of this war made the world recognize the importance of technology in warfare, and the previous tactics of human waves and combat spirit were no longer effective.

At the same time, it woke us up to the stark reality of the gap between us and the U.S.

Through this war, we began to reflect and accelerate reforms in the military sector, improving our equipment and advancing the modernization of our armed forces.

During this period of catching up, regardless of how the U.S. provoked us, we maintained our rational and calm stance, never taking rash actions.

In the subsequent years of 1996, 1999, and 2001, three significant events occurred. Without the Gulf War, and without knowing the true strength of the U.S., we might not have been so tolerant, and conflicts could have erupted.

Such conflicts would have had severe consequences.

In the future, those who were unaware of the true situation criticized the country for being weak, but they did not understand the severe consequences that could have resulted if we had not shown restraint.

Who wouldn't want to punch the provocateur in the nose?

But could we have done it?

Didn't you see that the provocateur was holding a knife? By the time you landed a punch, the knife might already have stabbed you.

Lagging behind means being attacked. To avoid being attacked, we must become strong. Our country did exactly that, using restraint to buy time for development. In the future, we significantly narrowed the gap in strength with the U.S.

With this strong backing, our country's status in the international community has changed dramatically. The most obvious example is the classic scene at the UN Security Council in the future, where our representative could sit and stand as they pleased, and their attitude directly influenced the entire council, making one's blood boil with excitement.

Now, with the war that would awaken the world about to break out, Deng Shirong was closely monitoring the situation.

...

PS: Sweating, thanks for the support and votes from everyone.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end