Chapter 124: Meeting Rong Zhijian Again

"Thank you, David! I’m going to take a shower first. It’s been a few days, and I smell absolutely terrible." Wei Hua finished his shower quickly and headed to the dining room, where the table was set with several of his favorite dishes. He hadn't eaten in days either; although the power supply kept him energized, the aroma of the food now made him ravenously hungry. As he sat down to eat, he listened to David’s report on the past few days.

"There hasn't been anything major. Mrs. Jessie has gone to the mainland and hasn't returned yet; she said it would be four or five days. The yacht you ordered from Europe has arrived in Hong Kong and is currently docked at our private pier. Mr. Rong stopped by a couple of days ago, saying he had just returned from the mainland and wanted to see you. When he heard you were busy, he didn't want to disturb you, saying he would visit once you were finished. Also, we received an invitation to an auction from the renowned Sotheby's."

"The yacht is here? Good! Just leave it at the pier for now. When I have some time in a couple of days, I'll go check it out—maybe I’ll take it out for a spin. As for Mr. Rong, I’ll give him a call in a bit. Keep the auction invitation; if we have time, we’ll go, if not, no worries. By the way, when is the auction?" Wei Hua asked.

"It’s in three days at eight in the evening, held at the Ritz-Carlton," David replied.

"I should be free in three days! Let's talk about it then." Wei Hua waved David away and happily enjoyed his delicious meal. After filling his stomach, he called Rong Zhijian, who was busy handling matters at his office. When Rong picked up the phone, Wei Hua asked casually, "Brother Rong! When did you get back from the mainland? What were your thoughts after watching the satellite launch?"

"Finished with your work, have you? Don't tell me you've cooked up something else! That trip to the mainland was quite an eye-opener. By the way, are you free tonight? If so, come over for dinner; I have some friends I’d like to introduce to you," Rong invited.

"Sure! I just wrapped things up, and with my wife away, it’s the perfect time to drop by! See you tonight!" Wei Hua agreed. At seven o'clock that evening, Wei Hua was driven to the Rong residence by Ding Peng. Upon entering the living room, he saw Rong Zhijian chatting with five or six people. Seeing Wei Hua walk in, Rong announced loudly, "Come, come, Brother Wei! Let me introduce you to some friends from Beijing!"

Wei Hua frowned slightly at the mention of friends from Beijing. Although he knew he would eventually encounter these so-called "princelings," he hadn't expected to run into them in Hong Kong before even returning to the mainland. These guys really had long reach. As a young patriot with a bit of a rebellious streak, Wei Hua looked down on them, but he couldn't exactly kill them. He wasn't in a position of state power, and he had no way to restrain them. Besides, if he wanted to develop his business in the mainland in the future, maintaining good relations with them was essential. He also had an idea: could he use their influence to accelerate the pace of reform and opening up, as well as the construction of infrastructure? There were many things he wanted to do, but current domestic policies didn't allow it. For instance, if he wanted to acquire a steel company, the state certainly wouldn't agree; even a joint-stock cooperation was unlikely, as there was no precedent for it yet. Historically, the first joint-stock enterprise in the country, Beijing Tianqiao Department Store Co., Ltd., wouldn't be established until July of the following year.

As Rong Zhijian called out to him, the six or seven people in the living room looked toward Wei Hua. They were already very familiar with his name. Ever since he had turned the ten million dollars entrusted to him by the second-generation leadership into over one hundred million a few years prior, many had been keeping a close eye on him. Back then, the political climate was unclear, and Wei Hua was in the United States, so people had ideas but no way to act on them. Now, things were different. The firm commitment to reform and opening up by the leadership had stirred many ambitions. With Wei Hua now making a grand splash by investing five billion dollars into the Iridium project, these princelings had followed Rong Zhijian to Hong Kong—though, in truth, Rong Zhijian was a princeling himself, just based in Hong Kong.

Rong brought Wei Hua over and introduced them: "Brother, this is Young Master Zhao, this is Young Master Liu, this is Young Master Li, and this is Miss Li! This is Young Master Zhang, and this is Young Master... They are all from Beijing, and their main purpose was to meet you!" After introducing everyone, Rong pulled Wei Hua aside and whispered, "Brother, I know you might not like these types, but their influence in the mainland is significant. If we can maintain a friendly relationship with them, our business in the mainland will gain many favorable conditions, especially for your Xuechi Company. Furthermore, our satellite mobile communications project needs their help, which is why I had to bring them to meet you. If they propose any conditions later, try your best to agree to them."

"Don't worry, Brother! I know these are the so-called princelings, and their influence is immense. I naturally won't offend them lightly. As long as their conditions aren't too outrageous, I will agree to them! Rest assured! We Chinese value networking and favors, and the political scene is no different. It’s better not to offend these people," Wei Hua said with a touch of self-mockery.