Chapter 983: Good Luck

Wang Yan has always been a man of his word.

In August, after three months of renovation, the Hongyun Direct Sales store in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, finally opened. It used the same marketing methods as the Shanghai store: pre-launch news coverage, flyer distribution, a lottery event, and a 20% discount.

Overall, it was very successful, thanks to the novelty of the footwear and apparel designs. Over the past year, Wang Yan’s authentic footwear and apparel hadn’t sold well on the mainland, but counterfeit versions of the same designs had flooded the market—precisely because they were novel and attractive.

People in Hong Kong naturally have higher incomes and greater aspirations; “Hong Kong style fashion” is proof enough. Even after the opening promotions ended, Hongyun’s footwear and apparel sales remained strong.

Around this time, Wang Yan purchased a second-hand villa in Deep Water Bay...

Wang Yan, wearing sunglasses, sat on the sofa with one leg crossed over the other, a Huazi cigarette between his fingers, gazing at the rippling sea: “How do you feel?”

Betty sat beside him on the sofa, mirroring his pose—sunglasses on, leg crossed, a cigarette dangling from her lips.

She flicked away the ash, then added, “But it really does feel good. No wonder all these rich folks live here. Few people, great environment—nothing like Central or Causeway Bay, where it always feels cramped.”

“If you say so, then the money was well spent.” Wang Yan nodded with a smile. “The house is all yours. If you like the decor, keep it; if not, tear it down and rebuild. Same with the furniture—don’t like it? Replace it.”

“They spent a fortune on the renovation—all the furniture is top-tier. I’m perfectly happy with it. If I redid everything, bought new furniture, that’d be another huge expense—no sense in that.”

“You bought a villa and you’re still worrying about value? Fine, if you want to save money, save it.”

“When are you leaving?”

“I’m flying back to Shanghai tomorrow.”

“You’ve been so busy this year—coming and going like a whirlwind.”

“That’s how you make money. If I weren’t busy, how would I afford a villa this big? Hard work now means decades of comfort later.”

Betty extinguished her cigarette, stood up, and sat on Wang Yan’s lap, wrapping her arms around his neck...

Miss Wang is highly proactive at work. Aside from those who report directly to the head of the Apparel Section, her position within the section is still quite high. Though she’s only been working for a few years, she’s already a veteran.

Every morning, bosses from all over come here seeking foreign trade orders. It’s not just the Apparel Section—other textile departments too—all related to apparel, from raw materials to finished goods, are managed by the Foreign Trade Bureau on the 27th. They receive orders from abroad, distribute them domestically, and promote domestic industry and technology—they play a vital role.

With all the other import-export departments involved, this place can never be quiet.

Perhaps Miss Wang’s loud, energetic demeanor is simply the result of years working here.

Early in the morning, Miss Wang barged through the crowd of waiting bosses, finally reaching her office and plopping down at her desk.

While eating the breakfast she bought on the way, she complained to Mei Ping, who had arrived early: “It’s always this chaotic. Just now I saw two bosses fighting—really...”

Before Mei Ping could respond, the door to an adjacent office opened, and someone called out: “Xiao Wang, come here.”

“Coming, Master!” Miss Wang replied, but quickly took another bite of food and swallowed the water left in her cup from yesterday, then hurried off on tiptoes into the office.

Watching Miss Wang’s flustered behavior, Jin Hua shook her head, stood up, and poured a glass of water for her: “Don’t choke.”

“Thank you, Master. What do you need me for?”

Jin Hua sat back down, took a sip of water, and asked: “I remember you handled Hongyun’s export affairs?”

“Yes, Master. You know—Hongyun was the first branded sportswear company, and the first Chinese footwear and apparel brand to go overseas. Even though we’ve only opened in Hong Kong, you still need passports to import and export. You told me yourself to support them. Has something gone wrong? Don’t worry, Master—it’s my responsibility.”

“Did I say anything was wrong?” Jin Hua shook her head. “Do you know how Hongyun is doing now?”

“No idea.”

Miss Wang shook her head frankly. “I just know Boss Wang has been traveling to the Soviet Union all year. Boss Bao said he’s done big—brought back tons of equipment and made a lot of money. He said if he made money, he’d buy shops and open direct stores. If the clothes don’t sell well, he can still profit from property appreciation.

I asked him before—the Hong Kong store is in Causeway Bay, and he bought it outright. Since he spent so much there, his development on the mainland must be even better—surely he has dozens of stores by now. Oh, by the way, Master, Hongyun is the sole official uniform sponsor for our national team—the store signs say so.

I heard Boss Wang bought textile and synthetic fiber factories, hired experts to research materials, studied athlete needs, and wants to make shoes lighter and clothes more comfortable. He even said he could improve swimming speed through fabric design—I don’t get it, but he sounded really impressive. So his growth must be going well.”

Jin Hua nodded. “I’m giving you a task: investigate Hongyun’s exact situation and submit a report to me.”

“That’s easy—I’ll call Boss Wang right away.”

“No need to call.”

“Why not?”

“He’s arriving soon—with our deputy director.”

“What? He’s really coming?”

Jin Hua looked surprised. “You knew?”

“In June, we had dinner at Night Tokyo. He wanted to give me a gift. You know, Master—I always buy gifts people give me, so I couldn’t accept it. So he asked Uncle, ‘Can I give each person in the Apparel Section a gift?’ Uncle said the section head was about to be replaced.

Then Boss Wang had a sudden idea—he’d give the section a banner and gifts together. Uncle agreed: best to give Hongyun clothing. I refused firmly, but Boss Wang ignored me. Master, look at these glasses I’m wearing—he told me then, ‘If you don’t take them, I’ll come to the office and hand them out.’ Would that be embarrassing?”

“So you mean Boss Wang came here to deliver the banner because he wanted to give you a gift but couldn’t due to discipline?”

…“Not entirely. Boss Wang has ambition. When he started Hongyun, he said only a brick wall makes people turn back—he’d lose money to build a brand. Our section helped him clear hurdles and open the direct store in Hong Kong. He wants to thank the relevant government units.”

Miss Wang, with her limited emotional intelligence, sensed Jin Hua’s displeasure and quickly tried to make amends.

“Go. Be here in half an hour.” Jin Hua waved her off, saying no more.

After leaving the office and carefully closing the door, Miss Wang exhaled deeply. But she didn’t relax—her heart was still pounding. She was nervous.

Earlier, Wang Yan had said he’d come to deliver the banner, but nothing happened for over two months. She thought he was joking—neither hopeful nor disappointed, just indifferent. Now he was coming, bringing the deputy director, giving half an hour’s notice—it was clearly a major event.

She was happy, but also overwhelmed. They’d only known each other for a year, met a few times, shared a few meals—this intensity was too much.

Back at her desk, she ate her breakfast while her mind raced with chaotic thoughts.

“What did Section Chief Jin want?” Mei Ping asked, leaning over. “Got scolded?”

“No! Don’t ask—I’ll tell you soon. I’ve never met such a troublesome person.”

Miss Wang didn’t want to explain. Mei Ping looked baffled but didn’t press further.

Over the past two months, Miss Wang had been in the spotlight—because Bao’s stocks had made money, and word spread through loudmouths like Postage Li and Tao Tao. Boss Bao now carried more weight, and his foreign trade orders had grown larger. Miss Wang benefited—her performance over the past two months was outstanding.

Of course, they weren’t sales staff and didn’t earn commissions, but Boss Bao’s reputation meant other bosses, big and small, preferred working with Miss Wang. That was a clear sign of her competence—her future looked bright.

At this moment, Mei Ping already had thoughts. She smiled, turned, returned to her desk, and dropped her expression...

Outside the 27th building, the rumble of an engine announced a truck painted with “Cao Cao Logistics” and a sleek, simple cartoon logo, pulling up to the curb.

The waiting bosses were familiar with Cao Cao Logistics. All of them operated in the Yangtze River Delta. Since the beginning of this year, this company had suddenly risen. Their drivers wore uniformed work clothes; this truck bore the same distinctive paint job—it was eye-catching and unforgettable. Cao Cao Logistics was powerful: a fleet of over a hundred trucks. Though the vehicles varied in quality, they were still trucks—transport capacity was undeniable.

Extremely active in the Yangtze River Delta, if a client needed delivery to a distant city—even without a Cao Cao Logistics branch—they’d still haul the goods from afar. And Cao Cao Logistics offered full compensation for any damage en route—no fuss, no excuses.

Rumor had it Cao Cao Logistics’ people were fierce—they physically clashed with highway bandits, reportedly killing many. Thieves who stole fuel or stole cargo were dealt with mercilessly—extremely tough.

It was said they recruited drivers mainly from retired soldiers, and offered a service: if a retired soldier wanted to drive a large truck but didn’t know how, the company would pay for his training and even give him a stipend until he could drive and work. Once he was qualified, they paid him fully. After working a certain time, the company waived the stipend for the first few months.

Also, if a driver owned his own truck, he could partner with the company, follow unified dispatching, and the company would cover fuel and labor costs. But if cargo was damaged en route, responsibility would be investigated.

It was rumored someone colluded with others to defraud the company—Cao Cao Logistics sent over a hundred men to corner him, beat him half to death, and handed him over to the police for imprisonment...

Most importantly, the company owner covered all losses, shielding drivers. Such practices made their combativeness unsurprising—and ensured cargo safety, earning them a strong reputation. So Cao Cao Logistics thrived in the Yangtze River Delta; almost everyone had dealt with them.

What puzzled them was why a Cao Cao Logistics truck was here.

To understand something you can’t find out, the best way is to watch. So they whispered among themselves and stared.

Minutes after the truck stopped, several cars arrived. Before they even fully parked, reporters and cameramen jumped out and began filming the rear vehicle.

The door opened. Wang Yan stepped out, dressed in a suit, then opened the back door, retrieved a rolled banner, and held it with both hands.

At the same time, the truck’s driver and several movers got out and began unloading from the rear compartment.

At that moment, a group hurried out from inside the 27th building. Wang Yan greeted them, shook hands, chatted amiably, and followed them through the aisle that automatically parted to let them pass, heading toward the Apparel Section upstairs.

The cameras recorded everything, all the way to the Apparel Section. Seeing a crowd of leaders, reporters, cameramen, and Wang Yan with them, Miss Wang, who had been covering her head, looked up in shock. Hearing others rise, she instinctively stood too.

Seeing Wang Yan smile and raise an eyebrow at her, she rolled her eyes in exasperation...

Wang Yan didn’t linger—he followed the Foreign Trade Bureau leaders straight to Jin Hua’s office.

“Section Chief Jin, I’ve come to deliver a banner to your Apparel Section. Thank you for supporting us...”

After a string of formalities, Wang Yan unfurled the banner: “Bring In, Go Out, Connect Inside and Out, Enrich the People.” The signature read: “Hongyun Sportswear Co., Ltd., Presented to the Foreign Trade Bureau Apparel Section.”

Jin Hua waved her hands in protest: “I can’t accept this. Your company’s business was handled by Xiao Wang...”

“Section Chief Jin, whether it’s Xiao Wang or Da Wang, they all work under your leadership. And you, in turn, operate under Director Zhang’s direction. I told Director Zhang, and he said you were the one who did the work. I told you, and you said Xiao Wang handled it. Everyone serves the people—don’t be modest about your achievements. Besides, this banner is addressed to the Apparel Section, not Xiao Wang. Can she represent the section outside? Can she represent the section inside the section?”

“Boss Wang is right. Then I, as head of the Apparel Section, accept it on behalf of the section.” Jin Hua nodded with a smile. “Boss Wang, your banner is well-written.”

“This banner is for the Apparel Section—and for the Foreign Trade Bureau too.” Wang Yan said. “Director Zhang, you should say a few words.”

Director Zhang didn’t hesitate. He respected the reporters and stepped outside to have them retake the official moment of Jin Hua accepting the banner. Then he addressed the Apparel Section staff on-site, conveying the spirit. Finally, reporters conducted individual interviews with Wang Yan, Director Zhang, Jin Hua, Miss Wang, and other section members, recording the banner-giving ceremony—perfectly concluding the event.

Director Zhang left, hands behind his back, satisfied. Wang Yan personally carried a box of gifts upstairs and had Director Zhang distribute other boxes to other leaders. When giving gifts, you must cover everyone from top to bottom.

After that, Wang Yan brought two more boxes back to the Apparel Section. He placed one box in front of Miss Wang. Before she could speak, he carried the other box into Jin Hua’s office.

“Boss Wang, you’ve worked hard. Sit down, have some water.” Jin Hua was courteous, pouring Wang Yan a glass.

Wang Yan politely thanked her.

“I don’t know how your sportswear brand is selling in Hong Kong?”

“Opened a week ago. Hard to tell yet. But compared to the mainland, people there have higher spending power. My designs are novel—even Nike has copied them. We’re preparing to sue them. Overall, sales in Hong Kong seem promising.”

“Sue Nike?” Jin Hua blinked. “Do you have a chance of winning?”

“Probably not.” Wang Yan smiled and shook his head. “China’s opening-up is still in its early stages. Systems are incomplete. Nike was among the first foreign investors in the 1980s. Now, the country is aggressively promoting economic growth and attracting foreign investment. Problems are inevitable—and leaders find it hard to act.”

Hearing this, Jin Hua understood: Wang Yan was riding Nike’s coattails to build brand awareness. After all, if Nike copied their designs, it was a perfect marketing opportunity.

She asked, “How many stores have you opened domestically?”

“Currently 176, with 67 operational. The rest are still under renovation. Honestly, Section Chief Jin, we’re expanding too fast—we’re falling behind on personnel.”

“That’s a happy problem.”

“Isn’t it?” Wang Yan laughed, drank some water, and stood up. “I won’t disturb you further. Section Chief Jin, if you need anything, just call me.”

“Goodbye.” Jin Hua nodded, feigning to rise.

Wang Yan politely blocked her, opened the door, and walked out, strolling toward Miss Wang—only for her to stand up abruptly and drag him downstairs.

“You’re serious?”

“You’ve got the gifts in hand—how could it be fake?”

“Oh, how am I supposed to face people at work now? Everyone will ask me! Before, there was Boss Bao—now you too. It’s driving me crazy!”

“There was nothing to begin with. But you dragged me down—now rumors will spread. Why not talk face to face? Oh, come on—you don’t have feelings for me, do you?”

“Get lost, get lost—who’d have feelings for you, you idiot?”

“Then I’ll be heartbroken,” Wang Yan chuckled. “Don’t worry—look, your director even came out. Jin Ke also has a gift this time, so there’s absolutely no problem. You don’t need to spend money, and no more complaining about being broke.”

“Why are you so nice to me?”

“We’re friends, aren’t we? Don’t I treat Teacher Ge, Taotao, Lingzi, and Linghong well too? Don’t get the wrong idea—I’m a big boss; do you think I can’t find a wife?”

Miss Wang pursed her lips, clearly unimpressed.

“Have you seen everything? Do you like it?”

“How could I not like it? I always say you’re the best at choosing gifts.”

“Oh come on, I put a lot of thought into it. After all, the gifts for you can’t be the same as everyone else’s—but I also couldn’t let others find fault, so each one had to be unique. Even ‘thoughtfulness’ requires effort.”

“Got any plans? If not, I’ll treat you to pork ribs with rice noodles tonight.”

“I’m flying to Tokyo this afternoon—let’s save it for next time. Maybe we’ll bump into each other for the fifth time at the ribs shop.” Wang Yan patted her arm. “Alright, the gifts are delivered. Go back inside—I’ve got to go too.”

“Goodbye.”

“Goodbye.”

Miss Wang turned to leave, but after a few steps, she ran back: “I forgot to tell you—my teacher asked me to prepare a report on Hongyun Apparel, and the key focus should be on the Hong Kong store. Could you help me out?”

“I’ll have finance reach out to you—they have the most complete information.”

“Hurry them up, okay? I’m off—goodbye.”

Wang Yan nodded with a smile, watching her enter the building, then got into his Santana and drove away…

“Who was that guy?”

Miss Wang happily fiddled with the gifts, looking puzzled at Mei Ping. “Boss Wang—didn’t you hear him just now?”

“We didn’t know which Boss Wang—he’s the one on the banner in Jin Ke’s office. We didn’t get a good look earlier, and we didn’t dare crowd around to check.”

“That’s him,” Miss Wang said, exasperated, pointing to the sportswear.

Mei Ping finally understood. The story of last year’s grand prize giveaway—a car—was still fresh in everyone’s minds. Even though many had copied it, the more they copied, the more people remembered the first person bold enough to give away a car.

She asked curiously, “How did you meet him? Did Bao Zong introduce you?”

“He knows Bao Zong, but Bao didn’t introduce us. Do you know what else he owns?”

“Isn’t it just Hongyun sportswear?”

“Remember last year when everyone at our office was talking about lamb skewers?”

“Of course—I still eat them. I heard a guy sold lamb skewers on Huanghe Road, and the owner of Jinmeilin tried to seize them, causing a big scene… You mean that seasoning? It’s Boss Wang’s?”

“He says it’s a family recipe. When he first came to Shanghai, he rented a place on Jinxian Road. His skewers were so good that people started buying his seasoning. You know I love pork ribs with rice noodles—I went to Yunannan Road for some one day, and that shop had ordered his seasoning too. They’d just launched salt-and-pepper ribs. They were short-staffed, so Boss Wang himself pedaled his tricycle to deliver the goods and stayed for dinner. I knew the owner, and when I walked in, he asked why Bao Zong hadn’t come. Boss Wang overheard and asked if I meant the Bao Zong from Caojiadu. That’s how we met. Oh, look at him now—dressed in a suit, a proper boss. Back then, he was exhausted pedaling his tricycle, even giving me a ride home… Later, whenever he came to eat ribs, we’d always run into each other, and we had a few meals together at Yedongjing. That’s how we got close.”

“Actually, he got into clothing because of me. Back then…”

Miss Wang spoke loudly and happily, clearly wanting others to hear, recounting how she met Wang Yan, how he started his shoe and apparel factory, built a sportswear brand, and opened a Hong Kong branch.

Mei Ping stared wide-eyed: “So he’s richer than Bao Zong?”

“Probably—he’s never told me the details.”

“Oh my, Xiao Wang, you’re so lucky! You know Bao Zong, and now Boss Wang too—especially him, since even your director came out today. You’re going to be rich someday—don’t forget me!”

Mei Ping thought it was pure luck. She believed that if she’d been in Miss Wang’s place, she could’ve done the same.

But she didn’t realize that when Bao Zong first came here, she’d ignored him. It was Bao Zong who befriended Miss Wang—she hadn’t helped much, but she’d passed along a few words. Even with Wang Yan—if she’d met him back then at the ribs shop, given his appearance, she’d probably have had no patience to talk to him.

Though this was the era of rising entrepreneurs and a wave of people leaving their jobs to go into business, Mei Ping, working in her office every day, still faced requests from bosses with a sense of superiority. She appeared plain, less eye-catching than Miss Wang, but inwardly looked down on others.

Miss Wang laughed. “Maybe. But it really is coincidence. So far, we’ve known each other for a year and a half—he’s been to the ribs shop four times, and I’ve run into him all four times. It’s kind of amusing.”

“Are you crushing on Boss Wang?”

“Where do you get that idea? We’re just friends—what crush? Mei Ping, you’re so boring. I’m not talking to you anymore.” Miss Wang rolled her eyes, sealed the box, and ran off to the kitchenette with her cup…

Wang Yan’s trading career continued—or rather, he was now legitimately engaged in international trade, dealing in everything under the sun, and making a fortune.

He kept buying commercial properties, dispatching teams nationwide, province by province, selecting prime locations and overseeing renovations. His current strategy: four stores in coastal cities, provincial capitals, and municipalities; one or two in prefecture-level cities depending on size; no stores in county-level cities yet.

He simply couldn’t afford to enter county-level markets—their purchasing power still lagged. For now, establishing stores in prefecture-level cities was already a success.

Moreover, he wasn’t just expanding domestically. Through his international trading, he’d purchased commercial properties in the capitals and economically developed regions of South Korea, Japan, and various Southeast Asian countries.

Meanwhile, he was aggressively expanding Cao Cao Logistics—a name he hadn’t used in centuries.

Logistics was a capital-intensive business—trucks were expensive and depreciated quickly, far less profitable than commercial properties. But he had no choice: with his clothing stores spreading across major cities, poor distribution capacity would cripple everything.

Fortunately, the seasoning factory and Beti’s business required no oversight—they were both profitable.

Jin Bao’s mother had become a powerhouse. Though she’d bought and renovated a garden villa, she never had time to live there. She still stayed mostly with Teacher Ge, due to Xiao Pang.

Of course, Wang Yan was the most reliable babysitter—but he was too busy, rarely seen even once a year. That left Teacher Ge, who had patience and warmth, and whom Jin Bao loved being around.

Also, the school was nearby, and after Jin Bao became more outgoing, his friends were all here. Since Jin Bao’s mother had no time to care for him anyway, she decided to keep living here—she felt at ease, and didn’t feel awkward, since Boss Wang was still around.

Her seasoning factory, though still dominated by barbecue seasoning sales, no longer relied solely on it. Even if seasoning leaked, the business could still run smoothly.

Wang Yan invested more funds, accelerating growth. The factory now produced soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, oyster sauce, soybean oil—all essential cooking ingredients. Production capacity was still limited, but sales were concentrated in the Yangtze River Delta, gradually expanding.

Beti’s side was even easier. Wang Yan’s herbal tea bags had nearly monopolized the herbal tea market in Guangdong, Guangxi, Hong Kong, and Macau—whether in shops or street carts. He’d essentially reshaped the region’s taste preferences. The only real competitor was Guangzhou’s Wang Lao Ji. But while Wang Lao Ji was still experimenting with new formulas, Beti had already launched canned and bottled herbal tea.

Wang Lao Ji had been the first to introduce canned herbal tea—but now it had lost its place. Beti’s “Qingxin” herbal tea had replaced it. Though the company was named Xue Zhi Herbal Tea, she never dared call it that…

Qingxin herbal tea was widely praised by people in Guangdong, Guangxi, Hong Kong, and Macau because it preserved the taste of freshly brewed tea as closely as possible, retained some of its benefits, and most importantly, could be served chilled. Though warnings cautioned against drinking it iced due to potential digestive issues, the refreshing coolness was irresistible.

Wang Yan deliberately suppressed the medicinal claims of the bottled tea. Though it couldn’t match freshly brewed tea’s full potency, that wasn’t the real goal. He wanted to differentiate the product’s presentation across his many ventures—otherwise, the impact would be too broad.

Beti only needed to do two things: ensure production quality, expand into other sodas and mineral water, and promote aggressively—taking herbal tea from Guangdong and Guangxi nationwide. Exaggerating slightly, it was a “northern campaign” of herbal tea.

Undoubtedly, Cao Cao Logistics handled all the herbal tea deliveries. Wang Yan’s entire business network relied on Cao Cao for transportation. Thanks to the synergy between Guangdong/Guangxi and the Yangtze River Delta, the first route fully established was between these two regions—goods flowed both ways, ensuring trucks never returned empty, and logistics took off.

In short, the “older brother” had given Wang Yan his greatest boost, enabling his empire to explode in just a year and a half. If wealth were measured now, Wang Yan was already the richest man in China—and far ahead.

He’d worked for over a year and a half—longer than he’d promised. After celebrating the 1992 Spring Festival with the Yedongjing crew and Bao Zong, he seized new opportunities arising from the Soviet Union’s collapse and spent several more months abroad, not returning to Shanghai until June 1992.

In short, Big Brother provided Wang Yan with the greatest assistance, enabling his business to expand rapidly within just one and a half years. If personal wealth were measured at this point, Wang Yan would already be the richest person in the country, far ahead of everyone else.

He had been busy for a year and a half, exceeding the one year he had originally mentioned. After the Spring Festival of 1992, along with a group of people in Tokyo and Abao, he worked for several more months, taking advantage of the greater opportunities arising from the post-Soviet breakup of assets, until he finally arrived in Shanghai in late June 1992.