Chapter 707

ATV building,

This afternoon,

Director Guan Zu arrived at the loyal ATV, which he hadn't visited for a long time, and held a meeting of the news department; the news department executives and backbone staff were all present.

At the meeting, Wen Huixin reported:

"Currently, we have counted 143 citizens and neighbors who have returned to Hong Kong from the north..."

"102 have successfully made money."

"23 had their things stolen halfway."

"13 sold at a loss."

"5 were arrested for illegal and criminal activities."

Director Guan Zu tapped the desktop with his fingertips: "Talk about the 102 cases of making money; are there any typical ones?"

Wen Huixin flipped her hair: "There is an Ah Qiang in Yau Ma Tei who used 2000 capital to set up a street stall on Zhongying Street to sell Whisper sanitary pads; the purchase price in Hong Kong is 8, and the mainland sells for 15. The couple went back and forth, earning 5300 in the first week, and now they have rented a fixed stall."

"What about the 23 who were stolen from?"

Director Guan Zu leaned back in his chair.

Wen Huixin: "Most of them were targeted by pickpockets on trains or in crowded places. Uncle Li from Sham Shui Po brought 10 pagers, and his canvas bag was slashed while queuing at the Lok Ma Chau port, losing more than 3000. There was also a young man named Ah Situ Jie who was cheated by counterfeit money in Huaqiangbei, Shenzhen—he received 2000 RMB, and later found out they were all fake notes."

Director Guan Zu's mouth twitched.

The 90s was one of the periods when domestic counterfeit currency crimes were relatively active. At that time, with the rapid economic development and the increase in currency circulation, counterfeit currency crimes also showed an upward trend, with the most counterfeit currency being the fourth set published in 1980.

And there were many pickpockets and thieves in the mainland; just look at "A World Without Thieves" to know it was a truly barbaric and chaotic era.

"What about the specific situation of the 5 who were arrested?"

"3 were smuggling excess goods." Wen Huixin clicked on the case details, "Ah Ken from Tuen Mun brought 30 pagers to break through customs, wanting to sneak through, and was discovered by the border checkpoint; the most outrageous one is a young man named Ah Ming, who heard that 'the mainland lacks motorcycle parts,' so he dismantled parts from scrapped cars to smuggle them, and was investigated by border defense for suspected reselling and smuggling of auto parts; he is still in the detention center. Others tried to deceive mainland citizens with fake goods, and were then arrested by mainland police..."

"As for those who lost money..." Wen Huixin explained in detail.

Director Guan Zu nodded while listening.

Half an hour later,

"Organize these cases and open a 30-minute program "Mainland Gold Rush Manual" at 20:00 to report these..."

"For those who successfully made money, we must vigorously promote them, but don't reveal their ways of getting rich."

"And for those who had their money and things stolen, we should also mention it, letting citizens pay attention to safety and prevention."

"Forget about the illegal and criminal ones, but also mention it, letting citizens not think that the mainland is a place outside the law."

"For those who sold at a loss, let citizens pay attention to the methods and ways, and don't think that they can make money in the mainland without using their brains."

Wen Huixin: "Yes! But it might be too late for tonight; it will go online at eight tomorrow night."

Director Guan Zu: "No rush, make a preview first."

Wen Huixin: "Yes!"

19:00 in the evening,

ATV News started on time.

Wen Huixin sat upright, her expression focused:

"Dear viewers, good evening. Welcome to today's ATV News."

"First, let's pay attention to a local news item: this morning, a traffic accident occurred in Wan Chai District, Hong Kong, where a private car and a bus collided at an intersection..."

"In terms of the financial market, the Hang Seng Index of Hong Kong stocks opened slightly lower today, among which Boss Huo announced that he would increase investment in the mainland, and his company's stock price became the number one on today's soaring list..."

"Trade information, recent Hong Kong import and export trade data shows..."

At the end of a 20-minute news report,

Wen Huixin's tone increased by a few points: "Next, we will insert a special preview. Since Mr. Director Guan Zu's exclusive interview last week, a gold rush to the mainland has been set off."

"Now that a week has passed, presumably all citizens of Hong Kong are very curious: did the gold rushers who went north successfully make money? Did they lose money? What is the mainland like? What strange experiences did they have..."

"At eight o'clock tomorrow night, ATV will launch a brand new program for everyone—"Mainland Gold Rush Manual". This program focuses on their real experiences..."

"At eight o'clock tomorrow night, lock in ATV, let us walk into "Mainland Gold Rush Manual" together..."

After all citizens of Hong Kong saw this news, their spirits were lifted.

It's coming!

Many citizens didn't have the courage to go north, and they wanted to see others' experiences.

If they lost, they would laugh heartily.

If they made money, they could learn from the experience.

If they didn't make or lose money, they could also gossip and have fun.

At night,

A student car was driving on a quiet road in the New Territories.

One was a student, sitting in the driver's seat.

The other was an instructor, sitting in the passenger seat.

The whole driving process was jerky, crooked, and finally stopped by the side of the road.

The instructor was impatient: "I said handsome, I'm asking you what exactly you want to do? Driving like shit, how are you going to take the exam?"

Student Ah Xuan was silent.

Instructor: "Exam next week, I'll give you six make-up lessons, 1000 HKD."

Ah Xuan: "I'm busy these few days."

Instructor: "Then I'll help you apply for the road test in Hung Hom~"

"Can you also take the exam in Hung Hom?"

"There's a funeral home in Hung Hom, after the exam, I'll take you and the examiner directly to the memorial service..."

"But I don't have money now."

"No money, why take the driving test? Damn it, letting you pay another one or two thousand in make-up fees and you're still nagging... use your brain, if you don't pass, you still have to continue paying to relearn? Wasting your parents' money! Your driving skills are so bad, wouldn't you become a road bomb if you drive?"

The instructor became more and more excited as he spoke: "Really, the more I talk, the angrier I get; get out, don't waste my precious time, Uncle!"

Ah Xuan was also full of fire: "I'm telling you, even if I learn to drive, I won't buy a car; I'm thinking that when I live abroad, I can drive to get around. Also, this money wasn't given by my parents; it's what I saved up with my own hard work! Do you think young people are easy to bully?"

After speaking,

He got out of the car angrily and walked away.

The instructor cursed loudly: "Damn you, you get impatient and want to leave after I say two words to you? You damn well look in the rearview mirror and see what you look like; you feel like society owes you all day long! Your mother raised you so big, and you only cried three times when you were born? If you keep messing around like this, you'll have no future sooner or later!"

Ah Xuan was so angry that his liver fire was raging: "I've tolerated you for a long time; Hong Kong is ruined by you old oil-slickers!"

The instructor sneered: "Sure, sure... why don't you hurry up and immigrate, go to the US and get US dollars from your American daddy; look at you, skinny as a rib, you have nothing, you can't do anything, you can't drive, and you can't even rob..."

"Robbery, is it?"

Ah Xuan's fire kept rising: "Even if I successfully robbed a gold shop and got more than 20 million—at least it would take three people, right? One to drive, one to keep watch, and one to do the work. After it's done, each gets 6 million, then find a 'conscientious' fence to take the stolen goods at a 40% discount, and after all the deductions, only 3 million is left. What can 3 million do in Hong Kong? Can't even buy a house where you can live with dignity! Now nobody in Hong Kong robs not because the public security is good, but because they have to get up and go to work the next day after robbing!"

"Pfft~~~"

The instructor laughed, his mouth full of sarcasm: "I said you young people, one by one, have no brains; if you said that 2 years ago, I would still agree with you a bit. But what era is it now..." "How many times has the Five Star Group sent money to you?"

"Also, Mr. Director Guan said last week that there are plenty of opportunities in the mainland; aren't you going?"

Ah Xuan heard this and had a face full of sarcasm: "Can this be believed? If the mainland were really that good, how could it be so poor? The Soviet Union is gone, Eastern Europe has disintegrated; this matter has already explained that the West is the most excellent. Staying in Hong Kong, how can it compare to going to the US?"

The instructor was speechless and finally gave this idiot youth a thumbs up: "Your young people's thinking is indeed avant-garde; go to the US, perhaps development there will be better."

"That goes without saying!"

Ah Xuan turned around and walked away with a stubborn and arrogant head.

30 minutes later,

He returned to the West Kowloon Youth Community.

At the main entrance,

A young man was carrying a schoolbag and walking quickly.

It was Shen Zai who returned to Hong Kong from Shenzhen yesterday.

Ah Xuan sneered and entered the youth community first.

He felt that Shen Zai's so-called "making big money" was absolutely impossible; in that poor place, could he make money?

Shen Zai also heard Ah Xuan's sneer and didn't care.

He knew Ah Xuan, just an idiot, living in the youth community but hating the Five Star Group that created it.

He felt that this kind of person was purely sick; if you have the ability, don't come to the youth community to take advantage.

"Forget it, this kind of person deserves to be poor!"

Shen Zai thought of the days of making money ahead and felt a burst of joy in his heart.

He went home during the day today and told his parents, brother, and sister-in-law about his money-making ideas, received their support, and they took out 5000 HKD to support his entrepreneurship, and his brother would also join.

Next, if things go smoothly, making money will become smoother and smoother.

A new day,

Shen Zai and his brother worked together to go to the Five Star Supermarket to stock up, then boarded the KCR train and went to Shenzhen.

He didn't tell others his way of getting rich, so as not to be snatched away.

On the KCR train,

Besides Shen Zai and his brother, one could see many carriages where many people were using handcarts to take large amounts of goods north.

Sometimes their eyes would meet, and then they would show a smile of "those who know, know."

These were all the first batch of successful gold rushers.

A flash, and it was evening.

After the 19:00 ATV evening news ended, all citizens of Hong Kong, whether in thousands of households or restaurants, turned their eyes to ATV.

20:00,

After 3 minutes of commercials, "Mainland Gold Rush Manual" officially started.

The camera switched from the night view of Victoria Harbour to the studio, and the impassioned background music started.

In the studio, besides Wen Huixin, there were 2 professors from Hong Kong University.

Wen Huixin smiled: "Dear viewers, good evening, welcome to watch..."

"Since Mr. Director Guan Zu's exclusive interview was broadcast last week..."

"Tonight, ATV reveals for the first time the real experiences of 143 returnees, uncovering the opportunities and challenges of the mainland market for you!"

"Next, please watch the first gold rusher..."

The screen switched to a house where Ah Qiang and Ah Zhen were interviewed with their backs to the camera.

Ah Qiang: "Mr. Director Guan is right, there are indeed opportunities to make money in the mainland..."

Ah Zhen: "We used 2000 capital, went back and forth between Hong Kong and the mainland, and made a net profit of 5300 in the first week..."

Then the screen flashed through several other interviewees, all mosaicked or with their backs to the camera.

"I made 4500 HKD..."

"I made 8000 HKD..."

Wen Huixin: "The above are just a few of the 102 successful gold-rushing citizens... they relied on their own wisdom to successfully make money in the mainland."

All citizens of Hong Kong heard this,

Out of 140+ gold rushers, 102 succeeded?

Such a high success rate?

Many citizens couldn't help but be eager to move.

"However..."

Wen Huixin changed the subject,

"There are many successful gold-rushing citizens, but there are also many who failed..."

The camera turned to a dim rental house, where Old Chen shook his head and sighed at the camera, with unsold products piled up by his feet...

"I heard people say the mainland lacks **, so I threw in 5000 HKD... now nobody wants it even at half price."

Then switched to other failed citizens 2, citizen 3...

Wen Huixin's voiceover: "There are as many as 13 citizens who lost money due to information gaps like this; the market is not a gambling game, and there is a possibility of failure. I hope citizens can try to understand the market instead of blindly stocking up and selling..."

All citizens of Hong Kong saw this, as if they had been beaten up.

They sobered up a bit.

It seems that the mainland is not so easy to venture into.

Wen Huixin: "Besides the failures caused by information asymmetry, there are also some citizens who encountered theft by some lawless elements..."

The camera fell on the crowded Lok Ma Chau port,

A citizen (mosaicked) held up the slashed canvas bag, eyes filled with tears: "10 pagers! I felt someone squeezing me while queuing, and in the blink of an eye, the bag was slashed..."

Wen Huixin: "Some citizens encountered pickpockets, and some encountered counterfeit money..."

The screen switched to another scene, where a citizen (mosaicked) angrily tore up fake notes: "Out of 5000, 2000 RMB were all fake... I lost big..."

Wen Huixin's expression was serious: "23 citizens encountered theft and fraud on their way north; although the mainland market is vast, safety awareness cannot be lacking!"

All citizens of Hong Kong: "…………"

Wow,

Are there so many bad people in the mainland?

Sure enough, this fits their stereotypes very well.

Then...

The news continued to report that some citizens went north and broke the law...

Wen Huixin: "5 citizens were detained by mainland police for smuggling excess goods, selling fake goods, prostitution, etc.!"

All citizens of Hong Kong: "…………"

Clap clap clap~~~

There are so many bad people in Hong Kong too!

Wen Huixin: "The mainland is not a place outside the law; any 'way to get rich' that attempts to trample on the law will eventually be sanctioned by the law..."

This mainland is not purely a gold rush land either; there are still risks.

The camera reappeared in the studio.

Wen Huixin: "Dear neighbors, the mainland market is not a 'utopia' paved with gold, but it is indeed a new world full of opportunities. Some people are full of wealth due to their vision and diligence, and some have lost everything due to negligence and luck. Remember—operating according to the law is the bottom line, careful planning is the key, and safety awareness is the guarantee!"

(End of chapter)