Chapter 471: Growing Up to Be a Rich Third Generation

Chapter 471: Growing Up to Be a Rich Third Generation

10:00 AM.

Baobao Skating Rink.

The number of people skating had already reached four to five hundred, and even more people, at least one to two thousand, were watching from the sidelines.

The scene was extremely lively, with the music from the speakers being very upbeat. Those on the rink were having a blast, and the spectators were also thoroughly entertained.

After all, only a few people could skate well, while most were still beginners. It was quite amusing to watch them fall down from time to time.

Even some older uncles and aunts, hearing the upbeat music from afar, came over to join in the fun.

Deng Shirong lost interest after a while. Skating was indeed very trendy in the 1990s, attracting the majority of young people, but it wasn't a big deal in the future, even kindergarteners could skate very well.

Before leaving, Deng Shirong said to Deng Sibao, "Baobao, your skating rink is still missing something."

Deng Sibao asked, "Ninth Ancestor, what is it missing?"

Deng Shirong replied, "Hurry up and get some ice cabinets to sell ice cream, popsicles, drinks, and mineral water. If your mother has the time, she can also make some herbal teas, mung bean soup, and cooling drinks. The business will definitely be good."

Deng Sibao, excited, said, "Thank you for your advice, Ninth Ancestor. I'll arrange it right away."

Deng Shirong patted his shoulder and smiled, "No need to thank me. Just work hard; this is indeed a good business opportunity."

...

At the border of Qingcun and Bangjie Village, which was also covered by the film city's administrative area, most of the villagers' mountains and fields had been requisitioned. Every household had received a substantial sum, making it one of the wealthiest villages in Shuangwang Town.

At this moment, the Liu Laosan family was holding an investment meeting.

Liu Laosan, who was none other than Bu Dashen's father-in-law, looked at his three sons and asked, "Elder Son, Second Son, Youngest Son, our mountains and fields have all been requisitioned, and we have received over 160,000 yuan. What do you think we should do with this money?"

In this era, many places still adhered to the traditional rule of "as long as the parents are alive, the family remains united," but in Bobai, this rule had been abandoned long ago. Families usually divided their assets once their sons got married.

In some families with three or four sons, if only two had married, they would be the first to be given their share.

However, there were also families that remained united. The Liu Laosan family was one of them. All three of his sons had been married for many years, but the entire family still lived together, which was quite rare in the village.

Since the family was not divided, the requisition money naturally fell into the hands of Liu Laosan.

Liu Dage, the eldest son, had a more conservative idea. He said, "Father, I think we should invest this money in building houses. The Yan Deng family said that once the film city is completed, at least ten thousand more people from other places will come to work here. They will definitely need to rent houses, so building houses to rent out is indeed a good business."

This was indeed a stable investment. Liu Laosan nodded and looked at his second son, "Second Son, what do you think?"

Liu Ergge, the second son, had more ideas. He said, "Father, a few days ago, a skating rink opened at Yan Yuanshan, and the business is booming. There are hundreds of people skating every day, and they charge one yuan per session, earning over a thousand yuan a day easily.

I think, if we want to make more money, we should invest in business."

Liu Mother asked, "Second Son, everyone knows that business can be profitable, but the key is what kind of business. Do you have any ideas?"

Liu Ergge said, "I think we should open a hot pot restaurant like my brother-in-law. The business should be good."

Liu Laosan nodded and looked at his youngest son, "Youngest Son, what do you think?"

Liu Sanjie said, "I think the ideas of Elder Brother and Second Brother are not conflicting. We should build houses and do business. This way, we will have both a stable income and the opportunity to make a lot of money."

Liu Ergge praised, "Youngest Son's idea is good. When we build the building, we can use the first floor for business and the upper floors for rental. This is a win-win situation."

Liu Dage also nodded, "I also think Youngest Son's idea is good."

"Alright, let's go with that."

Liu Laosan made the decision and then said, "However, with 160,000 yuan, if we build the houses for our own use, we can make them very nice. But if we build them for rental, the more the better, and we might not have enough money."

Liu Mother pondered, "Why don't we borrow from Aihong?"

Liu Laosan nodded, "That's a good idea. Aihong isn't short of money now. You can call her and ask for a loan."

Liu Mother asked, "How much should we borrow?"

Liu Laosan said, "You decide. The more we borrow, the more houses we can build. The less we borrow, the fewer houses we can build."

Liu Mother thought for a moment and said, "Alright, I'll call her tomorrow and see what she says."

...

It wasn't just the Liu Laosan family. After receiving the requisition money, the villagers from various villages began to think about what they could do.

For those villagers who lacked business acumen, their goal was clear: build houses to rent out. This was a well-known and profitable strategy, a benefit exclusive to the locals.

It was similar to the situation in urban villages in big cities, where the residents generally enjoyed this benefit.

Beyond this benefit, making money through business depended on one's own abilities.

Therefore, even though the film city was still a long way from completion, the villagers from various villages were already using their unique skills and resources to prepare.

There were talented people in the countryside as well. Many of these talents had been limited by their geographical location and their poor family circumstances. Now, with the requisition money, they had the opportunity to break free from these constraints.

Thus, various industries were already in the preparatory and planning stages.

...

In the future, China was known as the "infrastructure maniac," and this reputation was well-deserved.

To meet the production needs of "The Opium War" next year, Deng Shirong not only initiated the Guangzhou Street infrastructure project but also started the construction of a star-rated hotel. The accompanying industries were also being rapidly developed.

In short, the film city was changing every day, ensuring that everything would be ready to welcome the "The Opium War" production team next year.

These tasks naturally didn't require Deng Shirong's personal attention. After giving clear instructions, he entrusted them to his subordinates.

With nothing to do, he began to look for opportunities to sell some of the materials he had. Some of these materials were of no use to him, and now, with their value increased and without strict monitoring, it was the perfect time to sell them.

Once the surveillance network was widespread, it would be much more difficult to sell these materials quietly.

...

Nanning.

Five Peaks Square Mansion.

Deng Shirong was sitting on the sofa, looking at Dongzi's report card.

After seeing the grades, he couldn't help but sigh and said, "Dongzi, how about we get you a tutor for the summer to help with your studies?"

Dongzi's eyes widened in fear. "Grandpa, maybe... maybe not?"

Deng Shirong, seeing his eldest grandson's frightened expression, found it both amusing and frustrating. He thought about how everyone had their own path in life. Since Dongzi wasn't suited for academics, he might as well let him be. After all, growing up to be a carefree rich third generation wouldn't be so bad.

As for the family business, he could leave it to Xiaodong'er. By then, Dongzi could live a comfortable life with his annual dividends.

Another option was to have his parents groom the next generation to take over the family business. If Dongzi got married early, it might still work out.

Of course, it was too early to talk about these things now. Everything would depend on Dongzi's future.

With this in mind, Deng Shirong didn't press the issue and sighed, "If you don't want to, that's fine."

Dongzi was a bit anxious and asked carefully, "Grandpa, are you angry?"

Deng Shirong patted his head and shook his head. "Everyone has their own path. I'm not angry, but if you don't study hard, you won't have the skills to inherit the family business. Don't blame your parents if that happens, understand?"

Dongzi sighed with relief and said nonchalantly, "Grandpa, when you talk about inheriting the family business, you mean running the business like Mom and Dad, right? I'm not interested in that. Sister is so good at studying; let her inherit the family business!"

Deng Shirong laughed. "We'll see when you grow up."

With that, he looked at his granddaughter's report card. Her grades were a stark contrast to Dongzi's. Xiaodong'er not only excelled in primary school but also remained the top student in the city's best junior high school.

Feeling much better after seeing Xiaodong'er's report card, Deng Shirong asked with a smile, "Xiaodong'er, where do you want to go this summer?"

Xiaodong'er thought for a moment and said, "Grandpa, Hong Kong is going to be returned to the motherland in a couple of years, right? I want to visit Hong Kong before then. Is that okay?"

Deng Shirong said without hesitation, "Of course it's okay. I'll take you to get your documents tomorrow, and once they're ready, we'll go."

Dongzi's eyes lit up, and he jumped up. "Grandpa, I want to go too!"

Deng Shirong smiled. "Alright, we'll all go together."

...

The next day, Deng Shirong took his grandchildren and six carefully selected security personnel to apply for passports.

Hong Kong in this era was notoriously chaotic. The "Young and Dangerous" series, which had a profound impact on an entire generation in mainland China, was already in production. Many scenes in the series reflected the real situation in Hong Kong.

Although Deng Shirong, who possessed the system space, had a 100% confidence in protecting his grandchildren, he still decided to bring along security personnel. With these six security personnel providing close protection, they would be able to handle most of the potential troubles. If anyone still dared to target them, regardless of their background or influence, Deng Shirong would ensure that they met a grim end.

...

Half a month later.

Deng Shirong and his group arrived in Hong Kong.

It had to be said that Hong Kong in the 1980s and 1990s, as the leader of the Four Asian Tigers, was indeed very prosperous. This era marked the true peak of Hong Kong's economy, especially in the realms of film, television, and music. Countless groundbreaking works emerged during this period, leaving a lasting legacy that even after two or three decades, still evokes nostalgia among many.

Deng Shirong and his group stayed at the historic Peninsula Hotel, one of the most luxurious and famous hotels in Hong Kong and globally.

By the time they checked into the hotel, it was already evening. Xiaodong'er gazed at the night view of Victoria Harbor from the hotel and couldn't help but exclaim, "Grandpa, Hong Kong is truly so prosperous. It feels like Beijing and Shanghai can't even compare to it."

Dongzi, who had traveled to many major cities in China with his grandfather and sister over the years, was more knowledgeable than most of his peers. He nodded in agreement, "Grandpa, I think what my sister said is right. Hong Kong is indeed more prosperous than Beijing and Shanghai."

Deng Shirong smiled and said, "You're right. Hong Kong is indeed much more prosperous than Beijing and Shanghai right now. However, in terms of land area, Hong Kong is quite small. If we only consider land area, five Hong Kongs put together wouldn't even match Shanghai, let alone Beijing.

In terms of population, Hong Kong can't compare to Beijing or Shanghai either.

But in terms of the economy, even if we combine Beijing and Shanghai, they still wouldn't match half of Hong Kong's economy. You can imagine just how prosperous Hong Kong is."

Xiaodong'er was taken aback, "My goodness, Hong Kong is that impressive?"

Deng Shirong replied, "Of course, it is. However, this prosperity is only temporary. Hong Kong is too small, and its economic level will eventually be surpassed by Beijing and Shanghai, and even by other major cities on the mainland."

Xiaodong'er blinked and asked, "Grandpa, isn't economic development not closely related to the size of the area?"

"Size does have some impact. Cities with larger areas and larger populations naturally have more potential for development," Deng Shirong explained with a smile. "However, it's not that larger areas automatically mean better economic development. It's similar to running a business. If managed well, those who invest more capital naturally earn more.

But if managed poorly, it's a different story."

Xiaodong'er nodded in understanding and extrapolated, "So, Grandpa, you don't see a bright future for Hong Kong's development but are more optimistic about the development of major cities on the mainland, right?"

"Exactly."

Deng Shirong nodded and continued, "However, for major cities on the mainland to surpass Hong Kong economically, it won't happen in a short time. It will take at least a dozen or two decades of development to achieve that."

Dongzi, who wasn't interested in such topics, changed the subject, "Grandpa, it's still early. Why don't we go down and take a walk?"

Deng Shirong turned to his granddaughter and asked, "Sister, do you want to go down and take a walk?"

Xiaodong'er nodded, "Sure, let's go for a walk!"

Deng Shirong had no objections and took his grandchildren down to explore the night market. The security personnel followed at a distance to provide protection.

The three of them wandered around for about an hour and a half before returning to the hotel, still feeling that it was too short. Over the next few days, Deng Shirong took his grandchildren to various attractions and enjoyed the local cuisine.

Although Xiaodong'er and Dongzi didn't have a strong concept of money, they were still surprised by the high cost of living in Hong Kong. Compared to the mainland, the expenses in Hong Kong were exorbitantly high.

Besides the high costs, Xiaodong'er, with her keen observation skills, noticed that the locals seemed to look at them with a certain disdain when they spoke Mandarin.

So, Xiaodong'er found an opportunity to ask her grandfather, "Grandpa, why do the Hong Kong people seem to look at us strangely when they hear us speaking Mandarin, as if they look down on us?"

Deng Shirong was impressed by his granddaughter's sharp observation and nodded, "You're right. These Hong Kong people do look down on us mainlanders from the bottom of their hearts."

In the future, there was a saying that went like this: "Shanghainese look at everyone as country bumpkins, Cantonese look at everyone as northerners, and Beijingers look at everyone as provincials."

Although this saying was a joke, it wasn't entirely baseless.

In the future, Shanghai's economy consistently ranked first in the nation for many years. Once they became wealthy, their attitude towards others naturally changed, similar to how many rich people look down on their poor relatives.

In this era, Hong Kong's economy was at its peak, and it was quite normal for them to look down on the "poor" mainlanders.

Even in the future, when Hong Kong had declined and been surpassed by various mainland cities, many Hong Kong people still viewed mainlanders with a sense of superiority, as if they were old-established aristocrats who, even in decline, still looked down on the nouveau riche.

Dongzi, hearing this, felt somewhat indignant and said, "Grandpa, why do they look down on us?"

Deng Shirong replied, "Why? Because they are rich. In the eyes of Hong Kong people, we mainlanders are all poor, especially since our country has been very favorable towards Hong Kong capital over the past dozen years, which has fostered their sense of superiority."

Dongzi, somewhat understanding, said, "Grandpa, it's like those foreigners on TV, right?"

"Pretty much. In the past, in the eyes of foreigners, we were not only economically backward and poor, but also militarily weak. Naturally, we were looked down upon. Even now, in the eyes of Westerners, Chinese people still have that image and lack status."

Deng Shirong took the opportunity to educate his grandchildren, "So, to make those who look down on us respect us, we need to be strong. Only by becoming stronger and wealthier than them can we gradually change this situation."

Xiaodong'er nodded in agreement, "Grandpa, I understand. I will study hard and make a name for myself. Then, I'll make those who look down on us work for me. Let's see how they can look down on me, their boss, then."

Deng Shirong laughed heartily, "Our Xiaodong'er is ambitious. Work hard, and I support you."

...

The three of them spent a whole week in Hong Kong before returning home.

Despite the concerning security situation in Hong Kong at the time, it wasn't as if they would run into trouble just by visiting. They played for a week without any incidents and returned safely to Nanning.

Since they stayed in high-end venues, they unexpectedly met several celebrities, but as they were not fans, there were no dramatic encounters.

Just as they left Hong Kong, TVB's Jade channel began broadcasting the classic TV series "The Return of the Condor Heroes" starring Louis Koo and Faye Wong.

Undoubtedly, this version of "The Return of the Condor Heroes" is considered one of the most classic, beloved by countless viewers.

Deng Shirong enjoyed advertising during these classic TV series, so upon returning to Nanning, he instructed his team to secure the sponsorship rights for the series once it was introduced to mainland TV. With so many products under the Deng Group, advertising any of them would be profitable.

After returning from Hong Kong, Deng Shirong received a call from his youngest son.

After exchanging pleasantries, Deng Yunheng said, "Dad, I won't be coming back this summer. I'll continue my internship at the hospital."

Deng Shirong asked, "You've already graduated with your bachelor's degree. Are you planning to pursue a master's next?"

Deng Yunheng replied, "Yes, you know my goal. I must obtain a doctorate. In our field, unless one has a profound family background, it's very difficult to become a true expert without a doctoral degree."

Deng Shirong said, "I support you continuing your master's degree. Since you are interested in this field, study hard. A doctoral degree is just a starting point. To lead in this field, you must keep learning for a lifetime. You need to be prepared for that."

Deng Yunheng said, "Dad, I understand. I think I am naturally suited for this field. The medical knowledge that many of my classmates find incredibly dull, I find fascinating. I don't think I'll ever find it tedious or exhausting, even if I study for a lifetime."

Deng Shirong said, "That's good. Being a doctor and saving lives is a virtuous profession. I will fully support you."

Deng Yunheng smiled, "Thank you, Dad. I will work hard and won't let you down."

They chatted a bit more about family matters before hanging up.

...

Deng Shirong stayed in Nanning for a few days and then drove back to his hometown with his children and grandchildren to celebrate the traditional festival.

The lunar July 14th was approaching, and this traditional festival was very important to the people of Shuangwang. Even those working elsewhere would return home if they had the time.

Deng Shirong's two daughters also returned home with their husbands and children to celebrate the July 14th.

That village, Naye, was where they grew up. Hearing that their father was developing a film city in their hometown, they wanted to see the changes, so they took the opportunity to return with their families.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end