Chapter 165: Gazing from the HSBC Headquarters, the Stock‑Market Gold‑Rush Plan Takes Root

The next day, Lu Qingshan and Lu Qingjun arrived early at the Shenzhen City Planning Committee. Before work hours began, Li De Min was already waiting for them in the office.

"Qing Shan, Qingjun, you're just in time," Li De Min said, pulling two kraft paper bags from the desk drawer. "All the paperwork is ready—temporary business inspection certificates, passes, everything is there."

Lu Qingshan took the documents, his heart pounding. This was a pass to Hong Kong Island; in these times, even people with some standing find it hard to go there, let alone ordinary citizens.

"Uncle Li, this was handled way too quickly," Lu Qingjun said, a hint of disbelief in his voice.

"Fast? I ran around three departments last night, treated four people to dinner, and wore out my tongue," Li De Min waved his hand. "But for your father, this is nothing."

Li De Min pulled out another sheet from the drawer: "This is the list of Hong Kong Island business contacts I compiled, including several Hong Kong merchants who specialize in mainland trade. When you go to Hong Kong Island, you can talk to them to learn about market demand."

Lu Qingshan examined the list closely; most of the names were Cantonese transliterations, each annotated with its main line of business—some in textiles, some in electronics, and some specializing in agricultural product trade.

"Are these people reliable?" Lu Qingshan asked.

"We've cooperated with all of them before; their character is decent," Li De Min nodded. "But since you're newcomers, you should still be cautious."

As he spoke, Li De Min handed over a small note: "This is the contact of a fellow villager of mine, Zhang Zhihua, who works as a translator on Hong Kong Island. He's very straightforward. If you encounter anything you don't understand there, you can ask him."

Lu Qingshan solemnly collected all the materials: "Uncle Li, the two of us brothers will remember this."

"Don't bother with the pleasantries," Li De Min stood up. "When are you going over?"

"We'll leave today, strike while the iron is hot," Lu Qingshan checked his watch. "The afternoon train goes to Guangzhou, and we can cross the border early tomorrow morning."

Li De Min patted Lu Qingshan's shoulder: "Good, you're decisive. Remember, when you get to Hong Kong Island, observe and listen more, speak less. The people there are shrewd."

At three p. m., the two brothers boarded a car bound for Luohu. In the vehicle, Lu Qingshan repeatedly flipped through the documents, feeling both excited and nervous.

"Second brother, do you think Hong Kong Island is really as prosperous as the legends say?" Lu Qingjun leaned against the window, watching the scenery rush by.

"It should be even more prosperous than we imagine," Lu Qingshan recalled the Hong Kong Island scenes he had seen on television in a past life. "It's an international financial hub; money from around the world circulates there."

The car reached Luohu after nine p. m. The brothers found a small inn nearby to stay in, preparing to cross the border early the next morning.

At daybreak the next day, Lu Qingshan was already awake. He nudged the still-sleeping Lu Qingjun: "Get up, we're crossing the border today."

At the Luohu checkpoint, the brothers walked for half an hour. The closer they got to the border, the faster Lu Qingshan's heart raced.

The Luohu checkpoint was a sea of people, a jumble of dialects. In the line, there were merchants lugging big and small bags, sharply dressed Hong Kong businessmen, and inland inspection groups like theirs, curious and peering.

"Have your documents ready, and don't be nervous," Lu Qingshan told his younger brother.

The border officers carefully examined their documents and Introduction Letter, asked a few questions, then stamped the papers. At that moment, Lu Qingshan felt his hands trembling.

Passing through the border tunnel onto Hong Kong Island, a completely different atmosphere hit them. The air was tinged with salty sea scent and an indescribable aura of opulence.

"My God!" Lu Qingjun's eyes widened as he stared at the scene before him.

They boarded a bus into the city; skyscrapers rose like scales, reaching the clouds. The streets teemed with traffic, luxury cars weaving constantly. Shop signs along the road were all in traditional Chinese characters and English, glittering. Most striking was the pace of life—everyone moved at breakneck speed, their faces marked by busyness and shrewdness.

"This is Hong Kong Island," Lu Qingshan inhaled deeply, feeling the pulse of this international metropolis.

The brothers first met the translator Zhang Zhihua that Li De Min had recommended. He was a slender man in his thirties, dressed in a crisp suit, speaking with a thick Cantonese accent.

"Student Lu, Director Li has already given me a heads‑up," Zhang Zhihua said warmly. "Since it's your first time on Hong Kong Island, I'll show you around."

Zhang Zhihua drove a Toyota sedan, taking the brothers on a tour of Hong Kong Island. From Causeway Bay to Central, from Jianshazui to Yau Ma Tei, at each stop Lu Qingshan was left speechless by the spectacle.

"Mr. Zhang, what's over there?" Lu Qingjun pointed at a bustling port in the distance.

"That's the Kwai Chung container terminal," Zhang Zhihua explained. "All the world's cargo transits here, with hundreds of thousands of containers moving in and out daily."

The dock was lined with tower cranes, massive cargo ships moored, containers piled like mountains. Loading workers bustled nonstop, forklifts shuttling back and forth. The fiery scene reminded Lu Qingshan of the construction sites in Shenzhen City.

"The daily throughput here could match several months of a mainland port," Zhang Zhihua remarked. "Hong Kong Island became Asia's trade hub thanks to this harbor."

Continuing onward, a bay of warships docked in the distance came into view. Lu Qingshan's fist clenched involuntarily. The vessels bore the Union Jack, prowling over Hong Kong Island's waters.

"That's a British Navy base," Zhang Zhihua's voice lowered. "When we can reclaim Hong Kong, those ships should be gone."

Lu Qingshan said nothing, but his inner fury burned. This is Chinese soil; how can foreign troops flaunt their power here?

"But it's okay," Lu Qingshan vowed silently. "In a decade or so, our Shenzhen City will surpass today's Hong Kong Island. Then the whole world will see what Chinese speed really is!"

In the afternoon, Zhang Zhihua took them to a bank building in Central. Riding the elevator to the twenties, they looked out through massive floor‑to‑ceiling windows, taking in the entire Victoria Harbour.

"This is the Hong Kong‑British Stock Exchange," Zhang Zhihua said, pointing to a taller building below.

Through the glass, Lu Qingshan could see the exchange hall teeming with people, the electronic display screens filled with rapidly flickering numbers. Brokers gestured wildly, shouting prices, while phone rings rang incessantly.

At that moment, Lu Qingshan was utterly stunned. This was the power of finance, the allure of capital. Countless money flowed here, and countless fortunes were created and destroyed.

Memories from his past life surged like a tide. After his release from prison, he worked by day and huddled in a rented room at night studying stocks. He knew the K-line Chart, the technical indicators, the company financial reports by heart. Though his capital was small and profits modest, he never lost money.

Now, looking at what would become the largest exchange in all of Asia, Lu Qingshan formed a bold idea. If he could seize the chance and make a profit in Hong Kong Island's stock market, his capital accumulation would accelerate dramatically.

"Mr. Zhang, can ordinary people buy stocks here?" Lu Qingshan asked.

"Of course, as long as you have money," Zhang Zhihua smiled. "However, mainlanders opening accounts on Hong Kong Island face more hassle and many procedures."

Lu Qingshan nodded, already formulating a plan in his mind. It's not the right time yet, but he'll keep the idea in mind.

At dusk, the three of them went to a cha chaan teng on Hong Kong Island for a meal. The owner, a plump middle‑aged man, had heard the Lu brothers were from the mainland and was especially welcoming.

"How's development on the mainland right now?" the owner asked while serving dishes. "We Hong Kong Island folks are very concerned about the motherland's changes."

"The changes are huge, especially in Shenzhen City; it's like a new face every day," Lu Qingjun said excitedly. "Skyscrapers are springing up everywhere, and opportunities are everywhere."

The owner's eyes lit up: "Really? If we Hong Kong Islanders invest there, does policy allow it?"

"Of course it's allowed, and there are preferential policies," Lu Qingshan took over. "Now is a good time."

During the meal, Lu Qingshan quietly observed the patrons. There were white‑collar workers in suits, businessmen with briefcases, and some middle‑aged men who looked like factory owners. Every face bore shrewd calculation, yet also a fighting spirit.

"These people are the vitality of Hong Kong Island," Lu Qingshan thought. "Their vision, courage, and business acumen are all worth learning from."

That night back at the inn, Lu Qingshan lay in bed unable to fall asleep for a long time. Everything he had seen that day replayed endlessly in his mind. Hong Kong Island's splendor, its vitality, its opportunities—all stirred his heart.

But at the same time, he also saw the gap. The disparity between the mainland and Hong Kong Island is not only in economic development levels, but also in mindsets and management philosophies.

"Qingjun, what did you feel today?" Lu Qingshan asked his brother lying on the other bed.

"Stunned, absolutely stunned!" Lu Qingjun turned over. "Second brother, when can we catch up to Hong Kong Island's level?"

Lu Qingshan stared at the ceiling, his eyes flashing with resolve: "It won't take long, at most twenty years. We'll not only catch up, but surpass. The prerequisite is that we seize every opportunity now."

The next day, they would continue surveying Hong Kong Island's market, and Lu Qingshan was already eager to learn about more business opportunities.

This trip to Hong Kong Island will completely change their plans for future development.