Chapter 17

Only upon arriving did they realize it was a formal banquet. Zhou Yuqi was discussing economics with the leaders, not matters of pleasure. Zhou Yuqi expressed his intention to continue investing in Feng City, much to the delight of the leaders. Li Shanshan understood the conversation but pretended not to, quietly enjoying the exquisite food throughout.

Missing this meal would mean going a long time without tasting such enormous lobsters, king crabs, abalone, sea cucumbers, fish maw, and shark fin again. Not only were they large, but exquisitely delicious. The chef’s skills were simply extraordinary, undoubtedly pulling out all the stops for Zhou Yuqi’s arrival. No wonder a meal in a private room cost tens of thousands, excluding drinks—and yet the business was thriving.

This showed that although Feng City’s economy lagged far behind first-tier cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, there were plenty of wealthy people here—after all, it stood at a prime opportunity where even a pig could take flight. Most profits came from exploiting information gaps. The lack of transparency made buying and reselling convenient. Foreign trade surplus goods belonged to this category.

Chen Bing spoke highly of Li Shanshan and Yang Hailin’s garment factory business. Some leaders who hadn’t known about it were surprised. “Can it really succeed?” they asked.

“It will,” Zhou Yuqi replied, his jet-black eyes gleaming with a faint smile. “According to statistics, tens of billions of garments are produced domestically each year, often resulting in surplus. Within the industry, these surplus goods are called ‘moldy goods.’ To avoid long-term warehouse accumulation, they’re disposed of cheaply, far below cost. Transporting them to Feng City can indeed make a profit. Miss Shanshan has a sharp mind!”

Truly, she was destined to be his future wife! Alas, she was still too young. Not wanting to act like a beast, he resolved to wait until she came of age.

Li Shanshan put down her spoon from the snow frog stew with bird’s nest, smiling sweetly at Zhou Yuqi. “Thank you for your praise, Mr. Zhou. When I was buying stock for my stall, I noticed how prosperous the wholesalers were and was inspired. Without Mr. Bush from Kirin Technology willing to help and without the leaders opening doors for me, I couldn’t have made it.”

Supply, capital, stalls, transportation—all were indispensable. Yet timing was even more crucial.

Zhou Yuqi pondered a moment. “Changning Holdings is also involved in garment weaving and has its own brand, with a scale no smaller than Yang Hailin’s factory. They always have surplus goods beyond their plan each year. Should I ask them to leave some surplus for you? Without going through professional middlemen, you could earn even more.”

“Yes, definitely!” Li Shanshan was no fool and had no ridiculous pride.

The Zhou family’s clothing brand was well-known. A pair of jeans could sell for over a thousand in major malls. Even if the quantity wasn’t large, selling them for two or three hundred each after buying at tens of yuan was very profitable. These were not foreign trade surplus goods but original surplus stock.

Zhou Yuqi took out his phone. “Let’s exchange contacts. I’ll notify you once I have news.”

“All right, I’ll await your good news,” Li Shanshan replied without hesitation.

If even Zhou Yuqi had confidence, the leaders grew more assured of Li Shanshan’s business, secretly instructing their secretaries to keep a closer eye on her.

Li Shanshan was eager to make a big move—just waiting on her father.

Around ten the next morning, Li’s father arrived in his battered motorized tricycle to pick up his daughter at the entrance of the Ronghua Hotel. At first glance, he noticed she looked even paler and fairer than before—her delicate features framed by bright eyes and pearly teeth were almost unbelievably beautiful.

A sudden surge of protectiveness arose within him. From now on, he could not let his daughter wander outside alone.

“Dad,” Li Shanshan tossed her luggage onto the vehicle and climbed into the passenger seat. “Why did you come to drive? I’m just signing a lease. The leaders don’t work today. After signing, I just need to deliver it to the secretary.”

That was the plan from last night.

Li’s father didn’t answer but asked instead, “What lease? You didn’t mention it on the phone.”

Li Shanshan summarized quickly. “I’m not just a translator for the leaders anymore. I met some wealthy businessmen from Hong Kong and got supply sources from their garment factory. Once the goods arrive, I can do wholesale business, no need to set up a stall! The leaders helped find the stall and warehouse. I have the keys and the place to live. Let’s check it out after we deliver the contract.”

Secretary Qin had given her the keys.

Li’s father was dumbfounded. “How much capital do you need?”

“I paid a year’s rent upfront with the money I earned selling shoes at the stall before. I’ll transfer the payment for goods and shipping to their factory once the funds come in,” Li Shanshan said proudly. “After this batch, we’ll be rich!”

“You’re already rich now,” Li’s father muttered.

“Huh? Rich in what way?”

He kicked an old torn bag near his foot. “Some of the goods we bought last time have already sold, making over forty thousand. I brought the money here—all yours. You decide how to use it. If you don’t need it now, use it to buy more stock.”

Li Shanshan was surprised. “You sold that much by yourself?”

Impressive—beyond expectations. Rural consumers’ spending power was limited. By her estimate, a good daily sales volume for a stall was about two thousand.

Li’s father chuckled. “I got your uncle, aunt, and a few older brothers-in-law to sell at different markets for me. I pay them thirty yuan a day, and they’re all happy!”

Making money in the countryside was tough. Thirty yuan was quite a wage.

Li Shanshan couldn’t help but give her father a thumbs-up.

Pleased with her approval, he beamed. “I told your uncle we’d help him sell for a month, then bring them to the city to teach how to stock goods properly. If they don’t have enough capital, I’ll lend it to them. They can run their own stalls. Whether they make much or little profit, it’s all up to their skill. It’s better than farming or building houses. This is called the rich leading the poor.”

Li Shanshan nodded in agreement. “I had the same idea but hadn’t told you yet. Since we’re now doing foreign trade surplus goods, the stock will arrive in half a month. I’ll ask uncle and the brothers to help. We won’t manage alone. When it succeeds, I’ll buy a house for each brother’s family in the city—though I won’t tell them that now. I’ll just say a hundred yuan a day salary. After deducting costs and calculating profits, I’ll give them a surprise.”

Li’s father’s mouth dropped open. “How much do you expect to earn to afford buying each a house?”

They hadn’t even bought a house in the city themselves!

“If all goes well, a few million,” Li Shanshan said, fully aware of the high profit margins in this business.

Li’s father was stunned—he thought he must be mishearing the word “million.”

Seeing she was serious, he gasped after a moment and quickly changed his mind. “Then I won’t buy stock just yet. I’ll keep the money in your savings account as a reserve. Let’s finish selling the current goods first.”

“Mm, don’t let the secret slip,” Li Shanshan warned.

“I know—don’t flaunt wealth!” Li’s father was no fool. He hadn’t told anyone about the stall profits.

Father and daughter went to see Secretary Qin, signed the lease, then visited the official residential complex leased to merchants.

Each building was eight stories tall. The unit assigned to Li Shanshan was on the prized third floor, with eight households on the ground floor.

Unfortunately, there was no elevator and no heating.

The building was old, about twenty years in age.

Li Shanshan unlocked unit 305 and pushed the door open. It faced east, letting sunlight pour through the window, though the space was small—about thirty square meters. To the left upon entering was a tiny bathroom with only a squat toilet and a small washbasin. Next to it was a small room with a bed about 1.3 meters wide and a narrow desk. Outside was a corridor; along the south wall was a 1.2-meter bed.

All the beds were bunk beds with welded iron frames.

Passing through a narrow corridor less than a meter wide led to a combined living and dining room.

Against the north wall was a large 1.8-meter solid wood bed, while the south wall held a dining table with six solid wood chairs. There was no sofa or coffee table, clearly not intended as a living room.

Further in was a balcony about three to four meters long and 1.2 meters wide.

To the north was a stove area, large enough for a gas cylinder and stove, but currently empty. The sink, chopping board, and cabinets were small and located on the south side.

It appeared uninhabited for a long time, thick with dust.

Yet Li’s father showed no displeasure. “We just need a thorough cleaning. No need to buy mats, quilts, or cookware—we sell those ourselves, plus rice, flour, and cooking oil. I’ll bring them next time. Just buy a gas stove and cylinder.”

Li Shanshan nodded. “When things get busy, I likely won’t have time to cook. No need for a gas stove.”

Buying meals would be more cost-effective and convenient.

Her father thought for a moment, then agreed. “Okay, no cooking. I’ll bring a small bed from home to put on the balcony. I figured it out: the big bed is for me and your uncle. The other two beds can sleep your four brothers, but one brother has no place—sleeping on the floor in cold weather is bad.”

“Do whatever you think best,” Li Shanshan said, not wanting to take on all the heavy lifting herself. She planned to focus on her studies and cultivate her father’s support.

They then visited the warehouse and stall to familiarize themselves with the locations so her father could bring the brothers and nephews to organize.

With the money saved, he planned to take Li Shanshan home, but she was determined not to waste a second. She dragged him to the hotel where she had stayed before, checked in, and paid two hundred yuan.

Her father felt deeply distressed.

Li Shanshan handed him the key. “I’ll start school tomorrow afternoon and won’t be coming home.”

Before going home, she wanted her father to experience the warmth of central heating—a taste of city life and a step toward buying a house there.

Her father was truly amazed. Villagers had no idea what heating was.

After lunch, Li Shanshan took her father to browse the flea market.

She didn’t plan to put all her eggs in one basket or rely on the goodwill of Zhou Yuqi or John. Instead, she aimed to spend the least to find the greatest bargains.

When funds ran low, these would become her capital.

Dressed stylishly and strikingly beautiful, with a hat, scarf, and earmuffs, no one at the flea market recognized her as the same person who had sold goods before.

Thus, she bought many valuable items, including a painting and calligraphy piece once auctioned by a top Hong Kong billionaire family, with a future value estimated at 400 million yuan.