Chapter 112 Shenzhen

Chapter 112 Shenzhen

Just as in Guangzhou, two cars awaited them the moment they landed in Shenzhen.

The difference this time was that Huo Zongzhuo drove Jiang Luo, while Lao Si and the others followed in the second car.

As the car moved, Jiang Luo sat in the passenger seat, gazing out the window. He thought, "It truly lives up to its name as a Special Economic Zone." Everything exuded vibrancy and energy: wide roads, traffic lights at every turn, and freshly painted road markings.

All along the way, buildings were under construction, and the streets teemed with people and vehicles.

Perhaps it was Huo Zongzhuo's presence, but Jiang Luo felt no immediate urgency to scout factories.

Having left the luggage to Lao Si and the others, Jiang Luo turned to Huo Zongzhuo and asked, "Didn't you say we were going to McDonald's?"

Huo Zongzhuo glanced over. "Now?"

"Sure."

"Alright."

Huo Zongzhuo made a U-turn at the next intersection, heading for the Xihua Building on Dongmen Jiefang Road.

Seeing Huo Zongzhuo drive straight ahead without consulting a map or asking for directions, Jiang Luo inquired, "Are you very familiar with this place?"

Huo Zongzhuo replied, "It's not my first time here."

Jiang Luo immediately retorted, "Oh, so you've brought other sons to McDonald's before, have you?"

He huffed. "No wonder you know your way around so well."

Huo Zongzhuo had to suppress a laugh at Jiang Luo's subtly jealous tone.

He countered, "What other sons? Aren't you my only child?"

Jiang Luo kept his eyes on the road, huffing again. "Who knows? Maybe you have more than just one home, not just the one on Wukang Road."

Huo Zongzhuo savored the remark, rather enjoying Jiang Luo's playful accusation.

He reached out with his right hand and ruffled Jiang Luo's hair. "One home, one son. I haven't brought anyone else here."

"I just happen to be quite familiar with Shenzhen."

Upon reaching Dongmen, they found a parking spot nearby. Jiang Luo and Huo Zongzhuo navigated through the bustling crowd toward McDonald's.

As they approached, they saw a white two-and-a-half-story building. Besides the prominent "M" logo, a large, clown-like red-haired figure adorned the rooftop eaves.

Jiang Luo looked at it and declared, "That's really ugly."

He couldn't fathom it. "What are these foreign brands thinking? Can't they come up with a better design?"

Huo Zongzhuo walked beside him, adjusting the camera in his hand.

Jiang Luo asked, "Are we on vacation? You brought a camera."

Huo Zongzhuo raised the camera to his eye and snapped a photo of the clown figure on the rooftop. "You could say we are."

Inside the McDonald's restaurant, Jiang Luo's gaze swept around. Huo Zongzhuo pointed to a standing Ronald McDonald statue near the staircase and gestured to Jiang Luo. "Go stand there. I'll take a picture of you two."

Jiang Luo, clearly disdainful of the statue, walked over, muttering, "It's so ugly. Standing next to it will only make me look worse."

Despite his words, he struck a pose he deemed cool and smiled at the camera.

Click, click—the camera captured a series of moments.

When Lao Si and the other two followed them in, they were utterly bewildered.

The second floor dining area was teeming with children.

The sight of three towering, burly men standing there immediately sent several nearby children into tears.

The three men: "…"

The parents around them: "…"

Once they settled down to eat, Lao San, glancing at Jiang Luo and Huo Zongzhuo sitting together nearby, wondered, "What exactly are we doing in Shenzhen?"

Lao Si replied, "Perhaps we're here for reconnaissance. When we return to Haicheng, we might open one of these 'Uncle McDonald's' ourselves."

Wang Junqing interjected, "Just eat your food. Less chatter."

Not far away, Jiang Luo and Huo Zongzhuo sat face-to-face at a small table, eating and chatting animatedly. Jiang Luo laughed heartily, and Huo Zongzhuo wore an equally cheerful expression.

After leaving McDonald's, Huo Zongzhuo instructed Wang Junqing and the others to head to the hotel first and not to follow them further.

Once Wang Junqing and his companions departed, Huo Zongzhuo and Jiang Luo returned to the car.

As soon as they settled into the car, Jiang Luo exclaimed happily, "Let's go, let's go find a movie theater! It's been ages since I last watched a film."

And so, in short order, Jiang Luo and Huo Zongzhuo found themselves at a cinema.

They entered the theater, located their seats, and sat down. Jiang Luo's arm, resting on the armrest, brushed against Huo Zongzhuo's beside him.

All around them were young couples.

After the movie, Huo Zongzhuo took Jiang Luo to a shopping mall.

By the time they finished shopping, it was past 8 p.m., and the two found a restaurant for dinner.

Jiang Luo had spent most of the day having fun and was in high spirits. He thoroughly enjoyed his dinner as well.

On their way back to the hotel, sitting in the passenger seat with a lollipop in his mouth, Jiang Luo remarked, "Having fun is still the best."

He began humming, "Let us row the boat with oars~"

Then he added, "Shenzhen is truly wonderful. Shops everywhere, lots of foreign brands, plenty of things to do, and so many restaurants."

"If I had been born a few years earlier, I might not have stayed in Haicheng to do business. I might have come here instead."

He then asked Huo Zongzhuo, "Do you have business here?"

"Yes."

Huo Zongzhuo drove as he replied, "I specifically set up a branch office here."

Jiang Luo asked, "What kind of business?"

Huo Zongzhuo answered, "Semiconductors."

Jiang Luo: "Huh?"

Huo Zongzhuo: "It's a material that lies between a conductor and an insulator. Computers and mobile phones all rely on it."

"As technology advances in the future, this will become a very important material."

Jiang Luo continued chatting: "Why didn't you stay in Shenzhen to expand your business?"

Huo Zongzhuo glanced at Jiang Luo: "Do you think my business is small?"

Then he added: "I've diversified into several sectors: real estate, semiconductors, household appliances, and international trade."

"These ventures keep me busy enough and generate sufficient profit."

"The reason I didn't remain in Shenzhen long-term is because I see greater potential for development in the Yangtze River Delta region."

He smiled and said: "If I had stayed in Shenzhen, what would you have done?"

Jiang Luo quickly retorted: "Keep sleeping by the Huangpu River, of course."

They both laughed.

Jiang Luo sucked his lollipop: "Where are we going tomorrow?"

Huo Zongzhuo: "Don't you need to check out some factories in Shenzhen?"

Jiang Luo: "Factories can wait."

Huo Zongzhuo laughed: "Want to check out the coast? There are a few fishing villages that are still standing."

Jiang Luo: "Sure."

So the next day, again without Wang Junqing and the others, Huo Zongzhuo and Jiang Luo went out alone to enjoy themselves.

Lao Si and Lao San were having breakfast with Wang Junqing at the hotel restaurant. Lao Si wondered: "What kind of business is this? So secretive, they don't even take us along."

Lao San: "It must be some huge, confidential business."

Wang Junqing kept his head down, eating breakfast, not bothering to speak.

Jiang Luo and Huo Zongzhuo had already boarded a small fishing boat, venturing a bit offshore to try sea fishing.

"Huo Zongzhuo! I caught a fish!"

Jiang Luo was having an absolute blast.

Huo Zongzhuo took out his camera and snapped a photo of Jiang Luo with his catch.

After fishing, as the boat headed back, Jiang Luo—wearing rain boots and fishing clothes—sat on a low wooden stool provided by the boatman, leaning against Huo Zongzhuo beside him.

He simply leaned against him, not saying anything in particular.

Huo Zongzhuo asked: "Tired?"

"Not really."

Jiang Luo leaned against the man and said: "I don't know why, I just feel like sitting close to you. Maybe in the life before my last one, I was a puppy—dogs love sticking close to their humans."

Huo Zongzhuo smiled and said: "Why the life before last, and not the previous life?"

Jiang Luo: "Because in my previous life, I was human."

Huo Zongzhuo: "Why?"

"What do you mean why?"

Jiang Luo said matter-of-factly: "If I was human, then I was human."

Huo Zongzhuo: "So sure?"

Jiang Luo nodded: "Yes, that sure of it."

Then he looked at Huo Zongzhuo and said: "Do you know what you were in your previous life?"

"What?"

Jiang Luo: "A human."

Huo Zongzhuo: "Why?"

Jiang Luo: "Because I'm human, and I met you, so I know you were human too."

Huo Zongzhuo laughed, finding Jiang Luo's notion charmingly innocent.

He reached out and rested a hand on Jiang Luo's back.

They let the gentle sea breeze wash over them as the fishing boat headed back to shore.

The next day, their third day in Shenzhen, Jiang Luo and Huo Zongzhuo went off on their own again to have fun.

On the fourth day, they finally concluded their leisure time—still without Wang Junqing and the others—and Huo Zongzhuo drove Jiang Luo to explore some factories in Shenzhen, touring the industrial parks.

That area was almost entirely factories, producing all kinds of goods. Jiang Luo observed and felt that Shenzhen was like another Wenzhou, with a very dynamic economic development.

When they had seen enough, Huo Zongzhuo drove off and asked Jiang Luo: "What do you think?"

"It's quite good here."

Jiang Luo: "Let's also check out the apparel markets here."

So Huo Zongzhuo took Jiang Luo to several areas with a high concentration of clothing businesses, even asking passersby where to find good quality, affordable clothes in Shenzhen. The locals pointed them in the right direction.

Upon arriving at these locations, they got out of the car, and Huo Zongzhuo accompanied Jiang Luo as they browsed around.

That evening, after dinner on their way back, Jiang Luo sat in the passenger seat, sucking on a lollipop, gazing out the window, lost in thought.

Huo Zongzhuo remained silent at first, but as they neared the hotel, he finally asked: "So, what's your take on Shenzhen? Is it suitable for opening a factory?"

Jiang Luo spoke thoughtfully, "Given that it's a Special Economic Zone, its economy will undoubtedly be extraordinary in the future."

"Just like New York, Los Angeles, or Chicago in the U.S."

"Have you heard of those places having large-scale industrial zones?"

Huo Zongzhuo listened intently.

Jiang Luo: "Special zone, special zone... I personally believe that future Shenzhen will be as prosperous as New York, L.A., or Chicago."

"In prosperous areas, land prices will be exorbitant, and the cost of living will be high."

"Such places are not suitable for factories."

"I think these factories will most likely relocate in the future."

Huo Zongzhuo was surprised by Jiang Luo's insights.

In fact, he was spot on—Huo Zongzhuo thought the same way.

Looking at the world's leading economic hubs, none of them have many factories.

Jiang Luo's logic was solid: pricey land and a high cost of living indeed make a place unsuitable for factories.

"However..."

Jiang Luo pondered for a moment and added, "Currently, Shenzhen, as a Special Economic Zone, is still in its early stages of development. It's perfectly normal for factories to open here, and the Shenzhen government likely welcomes them."

Jiang Luo: "I wonder how difficult it is to acquire land for a factory here, and what the price might be."

"From the current situation, with so many factories and workers, it's clearly suitable for establishing factories."

"Business owners aren't foolish; if it weren't suitable, they wouldn't come."

Jiang Luo continued, "Having a garment factory in Shenzhen handle the contract manufacturing for us and selling the clothes here in Shenzhen probably won't turn out like it did in Guangzhou."

"We can start by finding a factory and testing the waters."

Huo Zongzhuo: "So you've decided to go for it?"

Jiang Luo didn't hesitate: "Yes, I'll do it. I'll give it a try."

"How will we know if it works without trying?"

"If it doesn't work out, we can just pretend it never happened."

Huo Zongzhuo laughed softly.

When they arrived at the hotel and took the elevator upstairs, Huo Zongzhuo said, "I'm taking you somewhere tomorrow."

Jiang Luo: "Let's not mess around. Tomorrow, I'll find a garment factory and inquire about their contract manufacturing terms here."

Huo Zongzhuo: "No messing around—just business."

"Okay."

Jiang Luo didn't give it much thought or ask further.

The next day, Wang Junqing and Lao Si finally joined them. They drove two cars to Shenzhen's industrial area, which was densely packed with factories.

Upon arriving at the factory-filled area, Jiang Luo looked out the window, confused, and asked Huo Zongzhuo, who was driving, "Why are we here?"

"I thought you were taking me to meet someone in Shenzhen."

Huo Zongzhuo: "We're not meeting anyone right now."

Then what?

Soon, they arrived at a factory with no sign or name at the entrance.

The metal sliding gate was open, and Huo Zongzhuo drove the car inside.