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Chapter 43: Thoughts on Going South
After having enough food and wine, Li Yi immediately took Wei Sanpao and the others out.
Their first stop was the city bank, where Li Yi deposited most of their earnings. In addition to his own account, he opened seven more accounts—Wei Sanpao received 30,000 yuan, while Dachu, Weizi, Dalong, and Xiaowu each had 20,000 yuan deposited. Furthermore, he set aside 10,000 yuan for Xu Qingnan and another 5,000 yuan for his sister-in-law, Xu Qingyao.
After these transactions, Li Yi was left with 210,000 yuan in his account and an additional 8,000 yuan in cash.
Leaving the bank, he did not immediately hand over the passbooks to Wei Sanpao and the others. Instead, he took them back to the family quarters of the meat factory. Over the next few hours, he personally delivered each passbook to their respective parents.
Initially, he had considered letting his friends take the money home themselves, but their hesitation and nervousness made it clear that they didn't have the confidence to explain how they had suddenly earned so much money.
To make things easier, Li Yi decided to deposit the money in the bank first, allowing their families to receive the funds in a more acceptable manner. A passbook was far less shocking than a pile of cash, making it easier for their parents to accept the situation.
Additionally, by keeping the money in the bank rather than as cash in hand, he ensured that Wei Sanpao and the others wouldn't be tempted to waste it recklessly.
Though their parents were initially stunned by Li Yi's generosity, once they understood that their children had earned the money through honest business dealings, they accepted it with gratitude. Their appreciation went beyond just the financial gain—what touched them most was that Li Yi was guiding their children onto a better path.
While Wei Sanpao and the others had never been outright delinquents, they had always been reckless, frequently getting into fights, which deeply worried their families. Physical altercations could easily spiral out of control, leading to serious consequences.
Now, with their sons engaged in business under Li Yi's leadership, their parents could finally feel at ease. Whether or not they made huge profits in the future, at least they were no longer getting into trouble.
Besides, 20,000 yuan was no small sum. A well-furnished house in the city cost about the same. The fact that these young men had earned this much in just a few days made even the adults feel a little ashamed.
After delivering the last passbook, Li Yi returned home in high spirits.
However, upon entering, he found that Xu Qingnan was not there. He quickly realized that today was Friday, meaning there was no school the next day. His sister-in-law, Xu Qingyao, would be returning home from school, and Xu Qingnan had likely gone to pick her up.
Li Yi briefly considered going over as well but decided against it. Xu Qingyao had never been particularly friendly toward him. If he went, it would only lead to an argument.
Her resentment wasn't entirely unfounded. Before his rebirth, he had been a complete scumbag—smoking, drinking, gambling, and even abusing his wife. It was only natural that Xu Qingyao despised him.
She had fought with him many times, not just for her sister's sake but also on behalf of her adoptive parents. Even though Li Fengnian and his wife were not her biological parents, their care and sacrifices meant the world to her.
When Li Yi continuously disappointed and hurt them, to the point where they lost sleep over him, it enraged Xu Qingyao. She saw him as the root of all their suffering, so she never missed a chance to confront him.
Even now, despite being her brother-in-law, she never let him off the hook, and they often argued.
But Li Yi understood that beneath her hostility was genuine concern.
In his previous life, after Xu Qingnan's tragic suicide, it was Xu Qingyao who spent decades searching for their daughter, Weiwei. She also took care of their aging parents when their health declined.
In truth, Li Yi owed her just as much as he owed Xu Qingnan.
With a sigh, he turned his attention back to the house. After clearing away the leftovers from lunch and tidying up the kitchen, he sat down at the dining table.
Opening the handbag filled with money, he took out three passbooks and a stack of loose cash.
Looking at the thick bundle of banknotes, Li Yi felt a sense of relief.
He knew that his family's current financial situation was poor—everything was being supported by Xu Qingnan's income. The factory she worked at had been struggling for over half a year, and wages had been delayed multiple times. The household was barely scraping by.
Before his rebirth, he had been completely oblivious to their struggles, taking money without ever thinking about how difficult things were.
Thinking about his past actions, Li Yi felt the urge to slap himself.
Fortunately, his recent success in the fruit business had brought in a substantial amount of money, easing his family's immediate financial difficulties.
However, despite earning over 200,000 yuan, he knew this amount was far from true financial freedom. If he wanted to secure his future, he needed to think bigger.
After much deliberation, he decided on his next move—he would head south to Guangzhou and Shenzhen.
These coastal cities were at the forefront of China's economic opening, filled with opportunities. With enough capital in hand, Li Yi was confident that he could quickly amass considerable wealth.
In his previous life, he had befriended someone from Guangzhou, who had told him about the business boom of the early 1990s. Many foreigners had begun flocking to Guangzhou and Shenzhen, bringing immense business opportunities.
These foreign businessmen were wealthy but often uninformed, making them easy targets for lucrative deals. Many local entrepreneurs had made their first fortunes by trading with them.
China was undergoing rapid development, and foreigners were fascinated by its rich 5,000-year history. With diplomatic relations improving, there was an increasing number of Westerners coming to Guangzhou and Shenzhen in search of valuable cultural artifacts.
Inland China had countless historical relics, which foreigners saw as priceless treasures, often paying astronomical sums for them.
Li Yi recalled that his friend had made his first fortune by selling a highly valuable jade piece to a foreign collector.
He knew the general details of how that transaction had taken place. Back then, the sale had sent shockwaves through the entire Guangzhou art and cultural scene. If he could intercept this opportunity, the profits would be unimaginable.
Even if he couldn't find that specific jade, he could still make a fortune by leveraging his foreign language skills.
Foreigners' money was the easiest to earn.
Even the simplest transactions—such as trading foreign exchange certificates—could yield massive profits.
At present, foreigners in China were not using regular currency but instead relied on foreign exchange certificates, which held significant value on the black market.
In short, if Li Yi wanted to achieve true financial freedom, selling fruit was not enough. He needed a broader stage—one that Guangzhou and Shenzhen could provide.
With that thought in mind, his path forward became clear.
His journey south was about to begin.
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