Chapter 164: Southward Gold‑Rush First Stop, the Shenzhen City Legend Begins

Early the next morning, Lu Qingshan and Lu Qingjun had breakfast at the guesthouse, then followed the address to the Shenzhen City Planning Committee office building. The six‑story structure stood out in the construction‑filled Shenzhen City, and a few government‑plate Santana cars were parked at the entrance.

"Second brother, this building looks pretty new," Lu Qingjun adjusted his collar, "Shall we just go straight in?"

"Of course." Lu Qingshan patted his younger brother's shoulder, "Since dad gave us an Introduction Letter, there's no need to be formal. Take these boxes of Capital City specialties, let's go up and see Director Li Demin."

People came and went in the office building, everyone moving briskly, their faces full of vigor. In the reception room, a woman in her thirties, a Comrade, was sorting documents.

"Comrade, may I ask whether Director Li Demin is here?" Lu Qingshan asked politely.

"May I ask who you are?" the Comrade looked up, sizing up the two youngsters whose accents clearly marked them as outsiders.

"My surname is Lu, I'm from Beijing," Lu Qingshan produced the Introduction Letter his father had written and handed it over.

The Comrade read the letter, her expression instantly warmed: "Please wait a moment, I'll notify Director Li right away."

In less than five minutes, a burly, ruddy‑cheeked middle‑aged man hurried out. He wore a brand‑new Zhongshan suit, but radiated vigor.

"You are Minister Lu's children?" Li Demin's eyes landed on Lu Qingshan, "Your features truly resemble your father's when he was young!"

Lu Qingshan rose quickly, "Uncle Li, hello, I am Lu Qingshan, and this is my brother Lu Qingjun. My father sent us to Shenzhen City to take a look, saying you are his old comrade in arms."

"Comrade! Old comrade!" Li Demin grasped Lu Qingshan's hand excitedly, "Back then, if your father hadn't saved me, I would have died long ago. Come, come, come, have a seat in my office."

Li Demin's office was small but impeccably tidy. A large Shenzhen City planning map hung on the wall, densely annotated with various construction projects.

"Qing Shan, Qingjun, what do you intend to do here in Shenzhen City?" Li Demin poured tea for the two, "Your father said on the phone that you've been doing quite well up in the Northeast and now want to develop in the South?"

Lu Qingshan took the cup, looked at Li Demin's sincere eyes, and felt confident: "Uncle Li, we run a few small factories back home and now wish to scale up. We heard Shenzhen City has many opportunities, so we came to learn a bit."

"Many opportunities? That's a lot!" Li Demin's eyes lit up as he stood and pointed to the map, "Look here, here, and here—each area is under construction. Shenzhen City today can be said to change day by day!"

Lu Qingjun leaned in to examine the map, stunned by the dense markings, "Uncle Li, what are all these projects?"

"Factories, hotels, office buildings, residential areas—everything," Li Demin listed, "Take the International Business Tower, for example; construction speed went from 25 days per floor before contracting to 5 days per floor, and they finished 94 days early, creating our 'Shenzhen City speed'!"

Lu Qingshan felt his blood boil, "Five days per high‑rise floor? That's insanely fast!"

"Fast! It must be fast!" Li Demin pounded the table, "Vice‑Mayor Luo went to inspect personally and handed out a HK$940,000 bonus on the spot. Did you know this caused a nationwide stir, even Hong Kong newspapers wrote about Shenzhen City's efficiency."

Lu Qingjun swallowed, "HK$940,000—how many RMB is that?"

"At today's exchange rate, roughly three to four million RMB," Li Demin said, smiling at their astonished faces, "This is only the beginning; such miracles will become more frequent."

Lu Qingshan could barely contain his excitement, "Uncle Li, what can outsiders like us do in Shenzhen City?"

"There are far too many options!" Li Demin sat down again, looking earnestly at Lu Qingshan, "Everyone here in Shenzhen City is local. Building materials, food, clothing, electronics—everything is in short supply. Especially your Northeast specialties, they're very popular here."

"Specialties?" Lu Qingshan and Lu Qingjun exchanged a glance.

"Exactly! People here are used to seafood and Cantonese cuisine, so they're especially interested in Northeastern mountain produce. Ginseng, deer antler, wood ear, hazelnuts, and even your rice are hot commodities," Li Demin grew more excited, "A few days ago a Hong Kong boss commissioned someone to find wild Northeastern mushrooms, willing to pay a high price for them."

Lu Qingshan's heart raced faster, aligning with his thoughts, "So, is it easy to handle the paperwork for opening a company in Shenzhen City?"

"The current policies are favorable, welcoming ambitious people from everywhere to invest," Li Demin stood and paced the room, "As long as you have the capability and a project, the procedures are straightforward. I can introduce you to the right contacts."

"Uncle Li, we're just here to observe, do some preliminary scouting, and get a feel for the situation," Lu Qingshan said modestly, "If it fits, we may come back next spring to invest formally."

"Good! That's decisive!" Li Demin gave Lu Qingshan's shoulder a firm pat, "Young people should have that drive. Which area do you wish to develop in?"

Lu Qingshan glanced at the map, "Where do you think would be most suitable?"

"That depends on the specifics of your project," Li Demin said, moving to the map, "If you're into trade, a location near the port is best. If you're setting up a processing plant, consider Bao'an; land is cheap and transport is convenient."

Lu Qingjun couldn't help asking, "Uncle Li, we heard that Hong Kong merchants often come to Shenzhen City for business?"

"Of course!" Li Demin's eyes brightened further, "Shenzhen City is now an open window to the outside, and Hong Kong merchants treat it as a bridgehead into the mainland market. Every day, Hong Kong businessmen come to scout and invest."

Lu Qingshan felt a stir, "Can ordinary people go to Hong Kong for a look?"

"You want to go to Hong Kong?" Li Demin paused, then nodded, "It's possible, but paperwork is required. Nowadays trips to Hong Kong are mainly for business inspections and need a legitimate reason."

"We'd like to see the market there and understand what products Hong Kong merchants need," Lu Qingshan said sincerely.

Li Demin thought for a moment, "Alright, I'll figure out a way. Since you're here to scout investment in Shenzhen City, going to Hong Kong to learn the market is reasonable. Have your household register and Introduction Letter ready; come the day after tomorrow to collect the paperwork."

"Really? Then thank you so much, Uncle Li!" Lu Qingshan was so excited he nearly stood up.

"No need for courtesy; you're the sons of my former superior, so of course I'll look after you," Li Demin waved his hand, "Besides, another capable investor in Shenzhen City benefits our development as well."

Leaving the Planning Committee, Lu Qingshan and Lu Qingjun were thrilled beyond words.

"Second brother, Uncle Li is really thoughtful!" Lu Qingjun said as they walked, "He not only promised to help us, but also arranged for us to go to Hong Kong!"

"Indeed, with Uncle Li's support, our affairs in Shenzhen City become much easier," Lu Qingshan said, gazing at the towering cranes in the distance, his heart swelling with ambition, "Tomorrow we'll tour around and get to know this city well."

Early the next morning, the two brothers boarded a mid‑size bus bound for Bao'an. Outside the windows, bustling construction scenes filled the view. The Bulldozer roared as it leveled the ground, concrete mixers shuttled back and forth, and workers toiled, sweating profusely.

"Second brother, look over there!" Lu Qingjun pointed at a factory under construction, "A site that big—how much money must be invested?"

Lu Qingshan followed his brother's finger, seeing rows of standardized factories rising from the ground, workers installing equipment. A sign reading "Hong Kong‑invested Enterprise" hung at the entrance.

"That's the legendary contract‑manufacturing plant," Lu Qingshan explained, "A Hong Kong boss supplies raw materials and technology, we provide land and labor, and the finished products are shipped back to Hong Kong or exported."

The mid‑size bus stopped beside a market, and the brothers got off to stroll. The market buzzed with voices, a tapestry of dialects. Vendors sold vegetables, fruit, daily necessities—everything was there.

"Sir, how much per jin for these lychees?" Lu Qingjun asked, pointing at a basket of bright red lychees.

"Five jiao per jin, very sweet," replied the stall owner, a middle‑aged woman whose Mandarin was not quite standard.

Lu Qingjun bought two jin of lychees, and the brothers ate while walking. The sweet, cloying juice made the two northern lads, who had never tasted lychees, exclaim how delightful it was.

"Second brother, if we ship our mountain goods here to sell, can we make money?" Lu Qingjun wiped the lychee juice from his hand.

"Definitely profitable," Lu Qingshan said, pointing at the bustling crowd in the market, "You see, the purchasing power here far exceeds that of our Northeast. The key is finding the right sales channels."

After touring the market, the brothers visited several nearby factories. The scale of those Hong Kong‑invested plants opened their eyes; workers on the assembly lines were focused, and production efficiency was clearly a cut above that of domestic factories.

"It seems we truly must learn from their management experience," Lu Qingshan resolved silently.

In the evening, the brothers rode back to the city center. Under the night sky, Shenzhen City's neon lights flickered, and vitality radiated everywhere.

"Second brother, I think this trip to Shenzhen City was the right move," Lu Qingjun said, watching the bustling scene outside, "It's truly a land of gold here!"

"Yes, the opportunities are indeed many," Lu Qingshan clenched his fist, "Tomorrow we'll go see Uncle Li for the paperwork and prepare for the Hong Kong trip!"