Chapter 210: The Birth of an Heir to an Empire
In the hustle and bustle of daily life, time flew by, and soon it was May.
On this day, Yang Wendong visited Changxing Industrial alone.
Su Yiyi, nearing her due date, stayed home to rest. Her belly was now quite large, and she was often in pain from pelvic pressure. With a private obstetrician on standby at the house, there was no need for her to be out and about.
"Mr. Yang, the Kwun Tong demolitions have been completed," Wei Zetao reported as soon as he saw his boss.
"That fast? The government's efficiency is amazing," Yang said, delighted.
Although his primary purpose in buying land in Kwun Tong had been strategic—land banking and long-term planning—he still hoped that, within the next two decades, the industrial park would bring him solid profits.
A complete industrial chain located together reduced transport costs and improved efficiency. It was a necessary step for scaling up.
Beyond that, controlling employment for over ten thousand people would elevate his status again—possibly to the very top among Hong Kong's Chinese elite.
It would also be a massive benefit to the Hong Kong Chinese community. Tens of thousands of jobs not only covered the factories themselves but would stimulate surrounding industries—service, real estate, logistics, and more.
Yang may not have been as altruistic as Elena, but he was happy to help his people when it aligned with his goals.
And the profits were massive—not just from the factory, but also from the surrounding properties and land he'd acquired earlier that year.
Wei nodded. "Yes, the government really moved fast—but they also used some special methods."
"Mm, that's to be expected. There's always someone who gets greedy," Yang said knowingly.
In most cases, developers were the bad guys in demolition stories. But sometimes, it was the so-called "nail households"—those who refused to move unless they got an absurd payout—who became the true problem.
Wei laughed. "Yes. We sent a few people to coordinate with the government. Our offer was quite fair—1.5 times the market price of comparable local housing, fully furnished.
Plus, every household got one guaranteed job spot at the new factory. If they didn't want the job, they could take cash instead, along with rent subsidies until the new homes were ready. It's one of the best compensation packages ever offered."
"Good. Let the government handle that part," Yang said. "Now, how long will it take to level the land and start building?"
From the Industrial Revolution to the modern day, demolition has always been a mess. It's impossible to satisfy everyone.
Yang's philosophy was simple—stay out of the dirty parts and make sure his partners didn't go overboard. Beyond that, it was out of his hands.
Wei answered, "There are a few small hills that'll take longer to deal with, but they make up less than 20% of the land. For the rest, we estimate two months to level it all out.
If construction starts right after, we can complete most of the buildings by October or December."
Much of Hong Kong, including parts of Hong Kong Island, was originally uneven terrain. It had taken more than a century of public and private investment to develop the flat, modern town centers people now took for granted.
"Good. Hire more people, run 24/7 shifts. It'll also help employ more locals," Yang said. "For the government, for us, and for the unemployed, time is more important than money."
In a booming business, time was always more valuable than capital.
"Understood," Wei replied.
The next day, Yang visited the Kwun Tong site himself.
"Mr. Yang, Mr. Wei—let's check things out from that building over there," said Zheng Zhijie, who had come along and pointed at a six-story building behind them.
Yang glanced back. "Is it okay for us to go up there?"
Zheng smiled. "It's one of our properties. Changxing Real Estate bought it. We've still got tenants, but it's under our name now."
"Good. Let's go," Yang nodded.
Before the media had exposed Changxing's investment spree in Kwun Tong, the real estate arm had already quietly acquired 26 buildings and over a dozen plots of land.
These purchases came from local developers who hadn't anticipated the surge in value.
All records were regularly submitted to headquarters for review.
Since these weren't major landmarks in Central, Yang never bothered to visit in person—he sent staff instead.
He didn't need to memorize every property, just the ones that were large or especially valuable.
After a while, they reached the sixth floor of the building Zheng had mentioned.
Through the window, Yang could clearly see the vast construction site.
"Here—use this," Zheng said, handing him a pair of binoculars. "You'll get a better view."
"Well-prepared, aren't you?" Yang chuckled.
"I came here once before. Found that binoculars helped a lot," Zheng replied.
Yang peered through them and immediately saw the scene in much greater detail.
Dozens of workers and a few machines were already operating on-site. In front of the construction zone, a massive crowd lined up in neat rows.
Yang knew these were job applicants. The media buzz wasn't just about him—this was one of the largest hiring events in Hong Kong's history. Many newspapers were still covering it.
He said, "Old Wei, keep an eye on safety over there. Crowds that large always worry me."
"No problem. We've got dozens of security personnel and the local police are assisting too. It's under control," Wei replied.
"Good. As for the construction, I won't interfere—it's not my area of expertise. Just make sure everything is independently inspected.
But make sure the workers have good meals and plenty of water. When they have the strength, they'll build better and faster."
By May, Hong Kong was already scorching hot. Just a few minutes in the sun left Yang Wendong sweating. For the workers out there on site, it had to be even more brutal.
Sure, they were being paid for their labor, but that didn't mean they couldn't be treated better. It wouldn't cost much, and maybe if the workers were well-fed and hydrated, they could work faster and with higher quality.
"Don't worry, Mr. Yang," Wei Zetao said. "Per the requirements from the head office, all our suppliers have been instructed to raise employee welfare appropriately. The goal is to maintain consistent quality and reduce staff turnover.
Construction companies are technically our suppliers too, and we're overseeing their management, especially safety. That's our top priority."
"Good," Yang nodded. He looked out over the site for a bit longer. "There's not much else to see here. Old Zheng, since we're in the area, let's go visit a few of those properties you bought earlier, alright? They're nearby, yes?"
Zheng Zhijie replied, "Not too far. Some are right in the Kwun Tong town center. It's a bit of a walk between them, but manageable."
"Great. Let's make the rounds," Yang said.
They spent half the day visiting a few major properties Changxing Real Estate had purchased in Kwun Tong.
That afternoon, Yang asked, "Old Zheng, now that our factory plan is public, how much has land value gone up here?"
Zheng replied, "It varies by location. Some spots—especially residential and commercial properties near the factory—have doubled or more in price. These were areas no one cared about before.
Based on our acquisitions, average appreciation elsewhere is around 20%."
"Hmm. So we've made about HK$2 million in profit?" Yang said with a smile.
He was, of course, aware of Changxing Real Estate's investments. Over the last few months, they had aggressively bought up properties in Kwun Tong, spending roughly HK$10 million.
Only HK$2–3 million of that was company capital—the rest was bank financing. That was standard practice in real estate.
Zheng said, "Yes, roughly. And prices are still climbing. I believe when the industrial park officially opens, the increases will be even greater."
"Alright," Yang nodded. "Keep acquiring in Kwun Tong until the end of this year. We'll re-evaluate in the new year."
It was only 1961, still four years away from the real estate crisis.
He hadn't invested heavily in property before due to limited funds, but now, with strong cash flow from Changxing Industrial and excellent relationships with multiple banks, he was in a position to push further.
By 1964–65, he could sell off the average properties at a good price and hold onto the high-value ones long-term.
"Understood," Zheng nodded.
"Then let's head back," Yang said, not overly concerned. Most of the properties they'd bought were short-term financial plays. A quick site visit was more than enough for now.
A few days later.
May 10, early morning — Yang family villa.
Several people sat around the breakfast table. Auntie Guo kept bringing out dish after dish.
"Mom, sit down and eat too," Su Yiyi said.
"I'm fine," Auntie Guo replied. "You're the one who needs to eat more. Confinement is going to be tough."
Yang Wendong chuckled. "Don't worry. I'm fully prepared."
To welcome their first child, Yang had personally hired five experienced postpartum nannies, along with a physician and a nutritionist.
They'd basically brought an entire postpartum care center home. Their villa was large enough, and they even had an extra building next door with plenty of space.
"It's not the same," Auntie Guo said. "Pregnant women are fragile."
Su Yiyi asked, "Mom, how was it when you had me?"
"Me?" Auntie Guo laughed. "We were lucky just to have enough to eat. How could we compare to now?"
"People change," Yang said with a grin.
Once someone tasted wealth, it was hard to go back.
Suddenly, Su Yiyi let out a gasp, her face contorting with pain. "Ow… my stomach hurts."
"It hurts?" Auntie Guo rushed to her side, helping her up. Someone nearby immediately said, "I'll get Dr. Lin."
Yang, clearly worried, stayed close—but this wasn't something he could help with.
Moments later, Dr. Lin came running in. After a quick examination, he said, "Mrs. Yang is going into labor. The baby may arrive a week early."
"A week early?" Yang nodded. He knew that was still within the normal range.
Dr. Lin continued, "We need to get her to the hospital now. The car's ready."
"Right," Yang agreed.
They had long since prepared a larger vehicle for exactly this situation. Originally, they had planned to check into the hospital a few days before the due date, but nature had its own plans.
A convoy of cars sped toward the hospital, which had already been alerted.
By the time they arrived, several doctors were already waiting at the entrance.
Su Yiyi was quickly moved into a VIP maternity suite. Auntie Guo followed her inside.
Yang remained outside, anxiously waiting.
His emotions were a mix of excitement and nerves. In this new world, he was about to welcome his own child.
Two hours passed. Yang hadn't eaten, but he didn't feel hungry.
Finally, in the afternoon, a nurse emerged and smiled at him. "Congratulations, Mr. Yang. It's a boy."
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